Dragon Goddess
by CrazyHorseNinja
Summary: This fic follows the basic storyline of Ocarina of Time with a Warcraft twist. Blizzard owns all rights to Warcraft. I'm pretty sure Nintendo has the rights to all Legend of Zelda games. My first crossover fic!
1. Chapter 1

**Dragon Goddess**

An Ocarina of Time – Warcraft crossover fic

Disclaimer: I'm not sure who created Legend of Zelda, but all credit goes to them. I think it's Nintendo… Warcraft is a Blizzard Entertainment creation.

…

_Something was watching Link from the shadows as he was running through the forest. The full moon glowed brightly overhead in the starless black sky. Link was growing tired and began to slow down. The thing he was running from quickly grabbed the child's ankle and pulled him into the dark shadows. Before he lost consciousness he yelled, "Help me please! I need help!"_

…

Link slowly blinked open his deep blue eyes. He sat up quickly. Pain shot through his right ankle where he was grabbed. There was a soft linen bandage stained with blood. Link nervously looked around. He was in a large earthen den of some giant beast. There was a mass of pale torn flesh at the entrance. It looked like a severed hand with long, sharp claws.

_That must be the hand of whatever grabbed me._

There was a soft rustling sound behind the boy. He looked over his shoulder, fear evident in his eyes. "Who's there?"

"_Peace, young one. I will not harm you." _A large white scaled paw slowly moved into the sunlight. It had the symbol of the Triforce on the back of it and its long black talons were wet with blood. _"I am a friend of the Kokiri. I saved you from that thing." _The creature's head moved toward Link. It was a large serpentine head, about three times as long as Link, with a pair of long black whiskers and proud gold antlers. A single white eye looked at Link. The right eye socket was empty and shredded. "I am Jaina Proudmore, the Goddess of Time, Fire, Life, and Death." She smiled and pointed at the torn hand. "That thing is called a Floormaster. It's just a hand really. They're vicious and attack without warning."

Link quietly listened to the Goddess as she spoke. "You must be Link. The Great Deku Tree told me much about you. He told me that you are different from the other Kokiri, that you don't have a fairy. You look tired." Jaina lowered her head. "Climb on and I will take you home."

…

"So, Mido chased you out, huh?" Jaina asked. "He's always been trouble for the Great Tree. He thinks he's the top dog around here. The other Gods and I have had no luck in trying to control his erratic behavior."

"This isn't the first time he's chased me out either," Link said quietly. "Every time he sees me anywhere near Saria he yells and chases me out. I seem to be his favorite target." The boy hugged his knees. "There's nothing I can do about it. He's always pushing me around or pushing me away. I can't even so much as look in the direction of my best friend when Mido's around."

Jaina sighed and gently nuzzled Link's cheek. "Don't worry. You have something none of the other Kokiri have, and that's valor. I can't think of anyone more willing and honorable than you. That is what makes you unique." The Goddess looked behind her and noticed Mido hopelessly trying to impress Saria. "Hah, the poor sap doesn't understand what the word no means. He's getting the Silent Treatment." She laughed. "He'll never understand."

"Don't say that," Link begged. "Mido may not like be but I don't want anything bad happening to anyone, even him. I know you have the right to be mad at him but please don't do anything that might upset him."

"Hmm… You aren't mad at him? You should be. You have more of the right than I do. After all, it's _you_ he's been picking on your whole life. He's done nothing but make you miserable from day one. Yet here you are having mercy on him. You are noble. You could go on to be someone great in the near future. You have that feeling about you. Your aura is a rainbow, violet being your dominant color. That means you have a hero's soul with qualities of royalty and common folk. That is the best kind of true aura there is."

Link blushed slightly at Jaina's complement. "Thanks." He looked into Jaina's eye calmly. "You seem to understand me better than anyone else in the forest. Not even Saria knows that much about me."

"Saria knows more than you think, child. But she never shows it. She knows who you are better than you know yourself, if only she could fit the pieces together and see the whole picture. Most Kokiri can't even figure out there are pieces. Superstition runs a Kokiri's life in this forest. Not even Mido is brave or foolish enough to leave the forest." Jaina laughed again. "But that's not to say he won't. You never know. Someday he might decide to up and leave, high-tail it out of here. That's what I want to see one of you do. I want someone to leave the forest and broaden their horizons, to explore and learn new things about themselves and the world around them."

The Goddess crawled to the ground and spread her wings. The rainbow feathers seemed to glow in the midday sun. "I'll be taking my leave now. Stay safe and don't be afraid to speak your mind to Mido if he bothers you again." With that, Jaina took to the sky and soared away.

**There will be mentions of Warcraft-related themes in future chapters, but for now it's just LoZ stuff. Oh, but the name Jaina Proudmore is the name of a Warcraft III character in the Human Campaign.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Dragon Goddess**

I don't own Legend of Zelda and Warcraft is owned by Blizzard Entertainment.

…

Link sat up with a gasp. Sweat drenched his face and shoulders and his eyes were wide in fear. He panted loudly and tried to calm himself. _Another nightmare… What does it mean? Maybe the Gods can help. But I have nothing to offer them._

"You don't need an offering if I'm already here." Jaina had poked her head into Link's doorway. Her eye was clouded with worry. "You don't look good. For the past few days you've been lethargic and tired. What's been keeping you up?"

"I've been having the same recurring nightmare. I'm standing before the gates of a kingdom when a swift white horse comes charging out. The girl riding it throws something into the moat just before a second, larger black horse gallops out, almost trampling me. There's a man riding the black horse. He gives me this evil glare and throws a bolt of magic at me."

Jaina froze at the mention of the horseman. "That's Ganondorf."

"Who?"

"Ganondorf. He's a Gerudo sorcerer who is trying to fool the Hyrulean King into joining him. Ganondorf wants the throne of Hyrule for himself. I tried to stop him once, but I only succeeded in letting him rip out my all-seeing right eye." Jaina shook her head. "Link, listen to me carefully. Ganondorf is not only a danger to Hyrule but the world of Azaroth as well."

"But why am I having these nightmares and not the King?"

"Cenarius is far too gullible to see Ganondorf's true intentions. He takes after his father. It must run in the family. I just hope Princess Zelda is able to see Ganondorf's plot."

Link lay back down in his bed and stared at the ceiling. "This doesn't make any sense to me. What do I have to do with any of this? Isn't there someone else who can stop Ganondorf?"

"No," Jaina said plainly. "At least, not alone. But then again, no one can stop him alone. That's why the Great Deku Tree sent you Navi."

A little white fairy flitted in through an open window and landed on Link's chest. She looked at the boy with knowing eyes. "You were right," Navi said. "He does have the aura of a hero. I haven't seen one like this since the Stormrage brothers and the Whisperwind girl." The pretty fairy hopped to the floor and sat down. "Now, how to explain it… Hmm…"

Link looked at Jaina, confused. "Explain what?"

The Goddess sighed. "I'll do it. Navi, stop pondering before you have a heart attack." Jaina looked Link right in the eye. "The Great Deku Tree has been cursed by Ganondorf and requests that you help him right away." She paused for breath. "Bring a sword, shield, and whatever else you'll need for a battle and go see him right now."

…

Jaina sat beside the Great Deku Tree while Link and Navi were inside, fighting Ganondorf's monsters. The Great Tree groaned in pain. "This is taking a long time. Art thou certain Link was prepared for this, my daughter?"

"Yes Popaa," the Goddess said gently. "I did as you told me to. Navi will guide the boy until he finds your tormentor. It won't be much longer now."

"I trust thee. I just- ARGH!"

"Popaa!" Jaina pressed her node to the Tree's cheek. "Popaa, don't worry. It'll be over soon. The pain will be gone."

"Jaina my daughter… I must tell thee one more thing… Please protect Link… He alone is the only hope this world has left… He is the last true hero…" The Tree groaned again. "I can feel it… The end is near…"

Seconds later, Navi shot out of the Tree's mouth, singing of heroes long past. Link, bloody and bruised, limped painfully after her. The broken and stinking carcass of the Queen Gohma was slung over his left shoulder, the sword still protruding from the eye. Link tripped and fell forward into Jaina's arms. The Deku Tree groaned once again.

"Link… Thank thee for killing the Gohma tormenting me… Now the curse is broken… This is my dying wish… Please hear me out… Take my Emerald to Hyrule's Princess Zelda… Then gather the Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire… Bring them to Zelda as well and use the Ocarina of Time to stop Ganondorf… Thou must hurry… I thank thee again for helping me…"

The Tree's branches rattled and the Kokiri Emerald dropped into Jaina's left forepaw. The old Tree seemed to smile. Then he withered and died. Link turned away. "This couldn't be helped," Navi whispered. "There's nothing anyone could have done to save him. Even if the curse was broken the instant it was set he would've died anyway. Don't blame yourself Link." The fairy wiped a tear from the boy's cheek.

Link picked up the Gohma's corpse again. "I'm… going back to the village. I'll see you back there, I guess." He limped up the path to the village.

"Hey Link!" Navi said. "Wait up!" She flew after the boy, leaving Jaina alone in the clearing with her dead father.

"Oh Popaa, I only wish I could have told Link that the thing that was killing you was also keeping you alive. But then he never would have come to break the curse. Oh, this will not be easy to do."

Jaina's ears pricked at the sound of Mido yelling at Link and pushing the injured boy into the water. The Goddess sighed and looked back at the dead tree one more time before bounding up the path toward the commotion in the village. Jaina roared and jumped into the village area but being the klutz she was, she tripped over her own paws and almost fell into the water herself. She whipped her head around and glared at Mido.

"Just _what_ do you think you're doing?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Link broke the Great Deku Tree's curse and saved the forest! Yet you have the nerve to beat on him? Look at him Mido! He's already injured enough without you adding more pain! Don't think you can worm your way out of it this time! Link single-handedly slew the Queen Gohma tormenting the Great Tree! What he did was a heroic act! The Gohma killed the Great Tree, Link killed the Gohma, and _I_ promised to protect Link!"

Jaina lowered her head and fastened her jaws on the back of the collar of Link's tunic, carrying him like a kitten back to his treetop home.

…

Jaina hung the preserved body of the Gohma over Link's doorway, positioning it so that its eye was looking out like it was studying anyone who might be approaching. Inside, Link was on his bed in the fetal position, crying in pain and sadness. Navi was trying desperately to calm the boy down but was finding it hard to do so.

Link looked up at the sound of footsteps on the floor. Saria was slowly approaching her friend. "Link, I know it was hard for you to watch the Great Tree die, but you did it to save the forest. That's something Mido would never be able to do, no matter how hard he tries." She sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Link. "It's okay. I understand. It's hard for everyone right now but we'll all get over it in time. Navi told me about what the Great Tree said and that he would've died regardless. It's not your fault."

Link cried into Saria's shoulder. Jaina sat outside and listened. She made sure no one approached the tree, even though the unseeing, staring eye of the dead Gohma would've done that anyway. Navi perched herself on Jaina's left antler and sang in Ancient Hylian.

It was just past midnight when Saria stepped outside. Navi worriedly looked up at the girl. "How is he?"

"He's asleep. He was so tired from fighting those monsters. He fell asleep a while ago. I thought he was having a nightmare so I stayed. He seems to be doing better now." The Kokiri looked up at the Gohma. "It's like a trained Wolfos almost."

"It's an old custom from a distant land," Jaina said. "The natives there mount the preserved bodies of slain enemy leaders and beasts over their doorways. They say it keeps away evil spirits and monsters. It seemed to work well enough."

"That's… a little…"

"Disturbing?"

"Yeah. But if it works, it works. Besides, I think it looks pretty cool the way it's watching out for unwanted visitors."

Navi flew up and landed on Saria's head. "I bet Noto was scared out of his mind." Navi was referring to her brother, Saria's fairy guide Noto. "He always was a coward."

Jaina sighed. "Hey, it's late. Saria, go home and rest. You'll want to see Link tomorrow morning before he leaves."

"Where's he going? He's not leaving the forest is he?"

"I'm taking him to the Kingdom of Hyrule to see Princess Zelda. My father told me to bring Link there to help defeat an evil sorcerer who threatens the whole world. Now, go home and get some sleep. I'll wake you. He'll want to see you one last time before he leaves the forest."

**Cenarius is the name of another Warcraft III character, and the Stormrage brothers and the Whisperwind girl are three important Night Elf characters.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Dragon Goddess**

Again, I don't own LoZ, and Blizzard Entertainment owns all rights to Warcraft.

…

"Link!"

The boy stopped and turned around. Saria was standing behind him, a tan ocarina in her hands. She was looking at her friend sadly. "Saria…"

"I want you to have this ocarina. It'll keep us together as friends." She held out the instrument for Link to take.

"I have something I want to give you too," Link said. He threw his arms around his friend and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'll miss you so much Saria. Please don't forget me. And don't be mad at me for leaving you behind. I have to do this so the Great Tree won't have died in vain."

"I could never be mad at you Link. You're like a brother to me." Saria hugged Link back and they cried into each other's shoulders.

Jaina smiled and sighed quietly. "They're in love. I can feel it. I may be a few millennia old but even I haven't forgotten what love feels like." She looked away. "I hate to tear them apart but it must be done. I saved Azaroth before when the Legion invaded those two times. Now I have to save it again from Ganondorf and his army of monsters."

She looked back. "Come on Link. We have to hurry. I don't want to be out at night. Say goodbye and come along."

…

Link walked beside Jaina, his head down in sadness. "I miss her already…"

"I understand," Jaina said. "A long time ago I too had to part with a dear old friend. I haven't seen him since. That was one of the hardest things for me to do and now I can never find him again. For all I know he could have died just after I left. He was always fighting in wars and was getting on in years." She looked at Link. "But Saria is young and there is nothing threatening her at the moment. And we know just where she'll be when this is all over. You'll see her again."

Link smiled a little. "Thanks. I feel a lot better knowing that she's safe. It gives me one more reason to take down Ganondorf and his minions. If Hylia is safe then so is the Kokiri Forest."

"That's the spirit." Jaina looked at the sky. "Oh no. The sun's almost down. Link, climb on my back and hold on tight. This is going to get a little bumpy."

Link pulled himself onto Jaina's back and wound his fingers in the Goddess' long mane. Jaina roared and bolted, covering several hundred yards in just seconds. She leaped over the rising drawbridge and loped into Hyrule. She bolted through the streets until she reached the castle gates. Jaina slid to a stop and addressed the guards.

"I have urgent business with Princess Zelda. This is of no concern to the King. Do _NOT_ send word to him or anyone else. That's an order."

"Yes Sir!" The two guards saluted and opened the gates. Jaina padded through and made her way to the courtyard.

"Okay Link. Open your eyes."

The boy quickly opened his tightly shut eyes and looked right into a pair of pale blue-green ones. The girl in front of him laughed. "So, _you're_ Link. My grandmother told me a lot about you."

"Your grandmother?" Link quickly glanced at Jaina's smiling face. "So she was the last Queen?"

"Yep!" The girl slid off Jaina's back and looked up at Link. "My father the King is her son. That makes me the Princess."

Jaina shook herself, causing Link to lose his grip and fall to the ground. "Were you always such a pain Jaina?"

Zelda laughed. "Come over here. I want you to see something. It's the reason Grandmother brought you here."

She and Link peered through a large window and into the throne room. At one end the King sat in his throne. At the other, a tall, shadowy man kneeled in false respect. Link took a few shaky steps back and turned away. "That's Ganondorf. It's just like from my nightmares."

"He's been here for a few months now," Zelda said. "He wants to make a deal with my father about the Hylians and Gerudos joining together. But I think he just wants the throne for himself. I don't trust him."

Jaina growled deeply. "He ripped out my eye! Now I can't see the happenings throughout the country. He's trying to hide from my gaze."

…

That night Jaina sat outside the castle with Link on her back. "Hey Link, there's a melody I want you to play on that ocarina Saria gave you. It's the song of the Royal Family. Care to try?"

"Sure. I don't see the harm in a little music. What's the melody?"

Jaina slightly opened her mouth and hummed the song. "Now you try."

Link but the ocarina to his lips and flawlessly copied the melody. "How was that?"

"You have a fine ear my boy. That was perfect. You'll need that skill later on in your quest. Remember that tune and you'll get far. You possess an amazing gift when it comes to learning."

Jaina looked up at the moon and sighed. Link followed her gaze. "What is it?"

"The moon circles Azarath. Azarath circles the sun. And the sun circles the universe. All things revolve around something else. The same goes for lives, whether we realize it or not. Let's take your life for instance. Your life revolves around safety and peace which in turn revolve around everyone's choices. Those choices revolve around the people making them and those people revolve around their lives. Everything is connected. Everyone is connected. The world is one life in itself."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Jaina laughed. "You don't get it do you? It has everything to do with anything. Everyone has hopes and dreams that rely of other factors besides the idea. Ganondorf wants the throne but it depends on the King's decision, Zelda's rank, and you. If Zelda's status is dropped then Ganondorf is one step closer to ruling the kingdom. With you out of the way there'll be nothing stopping him. But that's only if the King agrees to Ganondorf's request."

"Oh, I get it. So if the King agrees but Zelda stays the Princess or becomes Queen then Ganondorf won't be able to take the throne, and if I'm in his way he can't lower Zelda's rank!"

"Ah ha-ha, that's my boy."

**So, Link's getting the picture, but he still has a long way to go. Zelda knows the danger but her father isn't getting it. And Jaina is sharing her wisdom with the young hero. But the big question is, "Who's the King's father?" Ah ha-ha, no it's not! What's the big question? I'll leave that for **_**you**_** to decide for yourself.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Dragon Goddess**

Again, I don't own LoZ and Blizzard Entertainment created Warcraft.

…

(This is inside Dodongo's Cavern on Death Mountain.)

Link gasped at the force of King Dodongo's roll and slid backward behind his shield. On top of that, the heat was making Link tired and dehydrated. Jaina was nowhere to be seen and Navi was hiding from the monstrous Dodongo. Link was on his own. When the giant beast stopped and opened his mouth Link threw a bomb flower in and waited for it to explode. The stunned beast fell to the ground and Link slashed him with his sword. The idea worked and he repeated it several times before he was too tired to keep fighting and collapsed from exhaustion.

Seizing the opportunity King Dodongo rolled toward Link and was close to crushing the boy when Jaina shot out of nowhere and rammed headlong into the beast. He was pushed off course and rolled into the magma pit where he was burned to death. Jaina landed beside Link and nudged him with her snout.

"Link? Link! You did it! He's dead! Link, come on! Wake up! Elfling, come on!" She picked the wounded boy up in her arms and jumped up. She bashed her way out of the cavern and landed just outside the entrance to Goron City. "Come on Link, wake up!" There was still no response. Jaina looked up when she heard worried voices around her. Several Gorons were gathered by the city entrance looking fearfully at Jaina.

_Of course. I'm a dragon just like Volvagia. They think I'm going to eat them._

"Where is Big Brother Darunia? I need to speak with him."

A large male Goron made his way through the crowd and stood proudly in front of Jaina. "What is it Big Sister Jaina?"

"It's Link. He might be dying. Infernal Dinosaur King Dodongo almost rolled over him when I got there. Darunia, is the Great Fairy still up top?"

"She is. Are the Dodongo gone?"

"Link took care of that, just like he promised. I'll get the Ruby later. Right now Link needs healing. I'll see you around sunset." Jaina spread her wings and took to the sky. "This may be suicide. This volcano is still active and it's blowing its top every few minutes. Maybe _I'll_ need healing by the time we get there."

…

Jaina, burned and covered in blood, fell forward and hit the ground on her belly. Link was a few feet away from her. Just past Link was a large, clear-water fountain with little pink fairies flying around. Flitting among the small fairies was the Great Fairy of the Mountain. She was about the size of a human woman and had long red hair. She saw Jaina and Link bleeding on the ground. She pulled the dragon into the fountain's water as the smaller fairies did the same with Link.

Jaina slowly blinked open her eye. "Oh thank the heavens you're here. Link just got out of a battle against King Dodongo and I flew up here with him so he could be healed. I just hope he's still alive."

The Great Fairy smiled. "Don't worry my old friend. The boy is unconscious but he'll be fine. He just needs to rest. He'll probably be asleep for a day or two so don't fret if he doesn't wake up right away. You came just in the nick of time. Any longer and you both would have died. You know, I find it kind of ironic. You're the Goddess of Fire yet you aren't immune to burns."

The two laughed for a while. Jaina looked outside. "I need to be going soon. Darunia still owes Link the Goron Ruby for taking care of the Dodongo. I told him sunset. Are we fit to go?"

The Fairy nodded. "Feel free to go. Take my secret path. It'll lead you just above Goron City. Tell Darunia I said hi, okay?"

"Can do. Thanks again." Jaina carried Link through the underground corridor and back to Goron City where Darunia was waiting with the Goron Ruby in his hands. Jaina smiled as she approached the Head Goron. "I really appreciate your cooperation Big Brother. This means a lot to me." She gratefully took the Ruby and bowed. "The Great Fairy says hi." She laughed and quickly made her way down the mountain path to Kakariko Village.

She rested just outside the village for the night and continued to Hyrule in the morning. The dragon padded into the castle courtyard. Zelda turned when she heard her grandmother and gasped when she saw Link. "What happened? Are you both okay?"

"We're fine Zelda," Jaina said with the slightest hint of a giggle. "Link put up quite a battle against those Dodongo. It's a good thing the Great Fairy of the Mountain was still there, otherwise he could've died. But we got the Ruby." She presented the Sacred Stone to the Princess and bowed. "I'd best get Link to the inn for the night."

"Stay here," Zelda said gently. "You should rest right now. It won't be much trouble. Really it won't. And I want to thank Link myself before you two leave again. I don't want to miss the opportunity. Please, Grandmother?"

Jaina sighed. "Very well. I haven't slept in days anyway so I could use it." She curled up in the grass and nestled Link against her belly. "He's a strong young man. A little foolish, but then again aren't we all?" She laughed tiredly. "Hey Navi, you can come out now." She removed Link's cap. The little fairy was asleep on the boy's head. "Hmm, she's had less sleep than me. I'm not surprised."

…

The sun was high when Link woke up two days after returning to Hyrule. He was sore from his injuries but he stood up right away. "Uff, my head…"

"Oh, you're finally awake." Zelda stepped into the courtyard. Link had to peer over Jaina's side to see Zelda. The Princess laughed. "You've been asleep for almost two days. My grandmother and Navi never left you. Come, I want to tell you something." She beckoned for Link to follow and waited until he was away from Jaina before leaving the courtyard. "I love the garden. It's so beautiful and quiet. It's one of my favorite places in the palace." She stopped and faced Link. "Do you know why I brought you here?"

"I haven't a clue," Link replied. His mind was still a bit foggy but he was able to comprehend what was going on. "Why _did_ you bring me here?"

Zelda giggled. "I wanted to thank you for helping save Hylia from Ganondorf. This means the world to me. I've spent my whole life here. I grew up in the town after my mother died. Impa helped to raise me when my father was busy. Now my home is threatened and only you, Grandmother, a few others, and myself know about it. But we can do something about it." She paused to let it sink in. "I know this is a bit of a burden to you, having to do all this, so I wanted to thank you properly."

Zelda turned to a large flower and plucked a single golden petal from the blossom. "This is a special flower. My great-grandfather, the Great Deku Spirit, planted its seed when he was young. That was before he settled in the forest and took on the form of a tree. Now the twenty-thousand-year-old plant is mature." She faced Link again. "The first petal plucked from the blossom of the newly-matured flower has magical properties that will protect the one holding it. I want to give it to you. I have a feeling that I won't be seeing you for a while so this may be my only chance to give this petal to you."

She handed the gorgeous petal to Link. The boy examined it carefully. "It's beautiful. I can feel the magical energy inside." He looked back at Zelda. "Thank you. We've only known each other for a few days but we've already become friends. And as your friend I swear to protect the kingdom and the country from Ganondorf and any other threat against your home." He bowed respectfully before continuing. "Princess Zelda, it's been an honor. Not many common people get the chance to meet and serve the Royal Family."

Zelda giggled. "You aren't a commoner, Link. You're a hero in the making. Already you've saved the Kokiri and Gorons. Now you must save the Zora. Their Princess, Ruto, came to see me not long ago and said that Ganondorf had done something in Zora's Domain. But I can't leave the kingdom without my father's permission and I don't want Ganondorf to think I know what he's plotting. That's why I need you to follow the river and help the Zora." She looked Link in the eye. "The fate of the world rests in your hands Link. Please help them."

"It's not like I don't want to. I'd do anything to keep the peace in this land. Of course I'll help the Zora. After all, you still need the Sapphire. As soon as Jaina is ready I'll go to Zora's Domain and do what needs to be done."

Zelda smiled. "Thank you Link. You are truly a noble person." She hugged the boy. "This may be the last time we'll see each other for a while. I wish it could last longer but nothing ever seems to go the way we want it to. You've become so strong in just a few days. I'm sure you'll be a great hero in the near future."

"Aww, you two look sooo cuuuute together!" Jaina cooed. Zelda and Link released each other and looked away to hide their red cheeks. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just ruined the moment. Oh wait! I'm glad I have a photobox! Now the memory's captured forever!" The dragon laughed. "We can leave whenever you want, just don't be too long." She turned to leave but paused in mid-step. "Oh, and don't get too cozy. I'm not ready to be a great-grandmother just yet."

"WHAT?" Link and Zelda stared at Jaina, their cheeks bright red. This only made Jaina laugh more as she went back into the courtyard.

When her laughter faded Link and Zelda faced each other again. "I swear she never does that!" Zelda whispered nervously.

**What will Link and Jaina find at Zora's Domain? Will Link and Zelda see each other again? And was Jaina hinting at something in the future with her little joke? Isn't it obvious? This is the Goddess of Time we're talking about here! **_**TIME!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Dragon Goddess**

From now on I'm stopping disclaimers. You should've gotten the point through your thick skulls by now!

…

Link waded back to the shore with a bottle in his hand. Navi flapped her wings to dry them before flying to Jaina. "I don't know how I was able to hold my breath for that long!" the fairy gasped. "How does he do it?"

Jaina laughed. "He's got strong lungs, Navi. Plus, he's about fifteen times your size. He can hold more air than you. Now, let's see what's inside that bottle."

Link opened the bottle and pulled out the rolled-up paper inside. It was a note from Princess Ruto, the young Zora Princess. She wrote that the fish lord Jabu Jabu had swallowed her and that she was trapped inside his belly. Link replaced the note in the bottle and looked at Navi and Jaina. "We have to show this to King Zora and get Ruto out of Jabu Jabu's belly."

Jaina sighed. "No, _duh!_ That was the hint when she stated that Jabu Jabu had swallowed her. Alright, let's go back and show this to King Zora. First, though, we need to catch a fish. Link, do you still have the bottle from Lon Lon Ranch?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We'll need it to bring a fish to Jabu Jabu so he'll open his mouth. Let's go."

Navi spread her wings and circled over Link's head a few times before landing on his left shoulder. "I just hope we don't have to go underwater again. I don't think I can hold my breath any more today."

Jaina laughed. "You can hide in my mouth to stay dry. I haven't eaten meat for a couple weeks now so it shouldn't be too bad, but I can't guarantee it. I am a dragon after all. Onward!" She led the way back to Zora's Domain and caught a fish for Jabu Jabu. She then escorted Link and Navi to King Zora. "Remember to show respect. He's a king."

"Hello Jaina," King Zora said. His eyes were downcast and sad. "I'm sorry I'm not more cheerful but Ruto is missing and no one can find her. I fear she may have been taken or killed by that shadowy man that came by here a few weeks ago."

Link bowed and presented King Zora with Ruto's note. "We request permission to see Lord Jabu Jabu Sir. It's urgent and Ruto may have been swallowed. I have this note as proof of our suspicion but the only way to be sure is to see for ourselves."

King Zora carefully looked at the note. "This is Ruto's handwriting. I give you permission to see Lord Jabu Jabu. And please, if my daughter is there, bring her back safely."

Jaina smiled and bowed. "Thank you for your faith and cooperation King Zora. We won't let you down. I guarantee it."

…

"Link, you are a retarded-idiot-times-infinity-to-the-infinite-power-I-could-go-on-but-I-won't!"

"Good, 'cause I don't want to hear it!" Link jumped aside and slashed Bigocto as he rushed past. The monster jumped up and tried to crush Link but Jaina caught him in her forepaws.

"You shouldn't have let Ruto go alone! I told you it was a trap but you never listen do you?"

"Well excuuuuuuse me, Goddess! It wasn't like _you_ would go for the Sapphire yourself!"

Jaina paused and swatted Bigocto aside with her tail. "Oh, well you should've listened to me so we could plan how to get the Stone safely!"

Link slashed Bigocto again. "Well there's nothing we can do right now except kill Bigocto and save Ruto!" He and Jaina moved in unison, slaching Bigocto's weak point on his back, killing the beast. The platform in the center of the chamber lowered and Ruto jumped down with the Zora Sapphire held tightly in her hands.

Jaina snorted. "I'm outta here. You two can find your _own_ way out. Come on Navi." She padded away with the fairy sitting on top of her head. Jaina followed Jabu Jabu's esophagus to his mouth and knocked on the back of the great fish's teeth. "Lord Jabu Jabu, you rinsed and now it's time to spit. Come on. Open up."

The fish opened his mouth and Jaina padded out. "I'm sorry if I hurt anyone," he said. "I don't know what came over me. One minute I'm as happy as can be and the next something drives me over the edge and makes me swallow Princess Ruto. Oh, are they okay?"

"Yes, they're fine. I wouldn't worry about them. Ruto knows you inside and out. I really do mean inside and out. And Link has an excellent memory. He'll know the way out of your belly almost as well as Ruto does."

…

The drawbridge to Hyrule was down even though the sky was dark. Jaina saw this and immediately halted. "Link, wait. I don't trust this." She crouched and waited. A white horse dashed over the drawbridge. Impa was riding with Zelda. The Princess looked back and threw something blue into the moat. Link watched the horse disappear. A few seconds later heavier hoofbeats pounded over the bridge and a giant black horse skidded to a halt just after nearly trampling Link. Ganondorf looked down at Link and a dark smile came across his face.

"You, boy, tell me where the Princess rode off to. Where is she going?"

Link glared defensively back. "I am obliged to keep her destination a secret. Nothing you say or do will get me to reveal where the Princess is going." _That's because not even I know where Impa is taking her. Good thing too._

"Trying to play the hero now, are we? I'll just have to fix that." Ganondorf raised a hand and gathered his magic. He threw the ball of magic at Link.

Jaina roared in pain. She swatted the horse with her tail, spooking him and sending him bolting away. The dragon rumbled and fell to the ground. She set a forepaw on her brow. "Damn that man! How could he have known I'd swing my head between you two? That hit my weak spot!" She removed her paw and revealed a dark violet gem with a blood-oozing crack down the middle. "The one weak point on my body and I threw it right in front of his attack!"

She pulled herself to her paws and picked Link up like a kitten again. She pulled the Ocarina of Time from the water and carried him to the Temple of Time. "Place the Sapphire in the last indentation and come to the back wall." She waited until Link stood beside her before continuing. "'When three Stones are gathered play the Song of Time.' The song is written on this wall. Play it on the ocarina and wait."

Link played the Song of Time. The wall crumbled, revealing a large room hidden behind it. Navi shot in and flitted around the sword in the center of the room. "Link! Link! It's the Master Sword! The real Master Sword!"

Link slowly approached the legendary weapon. "Why didn't you tell me about the Master Sword before, Jaina? If you told me sooner I would've worked faster."

"Everything takes time Link. You can't expect me to reveal everything right away. But yes, this is the Sword of Evil's Bane, the legendary Master Sword. By drawing this blade you will become the great Hero of Time. That's why I had my broken talon forged into this sword. Now, it's time to take your place among heroes. Draw the blade and follow your destiny."

Navi danced in the air above Link as he grabbed the hilt. "Draw the sword Link! Become the Hero of Time!"

Link slowly bulled the sword from the Pedestal of Time. He raised it over his head. Then everything went black. The Master Sword clattered to the floor and Link collapsed into Jaina's arms. Navi landed before she too slipped into a coma. Jaina sighed.

"I should've seen this coming. He's too young to be the Hero of Time. I'll just have to take them to the Sacred Realm until the magic of my talon wears off and they wake up. He's only ten years old. Maybe another year or two. Oh that's just too bad… I just don't want a repeat of what happened before…" She picked up Link and Navi in her arms and grabbed the Master Sword in her jaws before opening a dimensional portal to the Sacred Realm.

**How long will Jaina have to wait before her home and granddaughter are safe? And how will Link handle being the Hero of Time? And what does Jaina's past have to do with this? And what is it that she doesn't want to happen again?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Dragon Goddess**

I'm not doing any more disclaimers! I only own rights to my character Jaina but the name isn't my creation!

…

Link slowly blinked open his eyes and sat up rubbing his head. "Uff, it feels like I was hit with a mace."

"Not quite," someone laughed. A tall man in a bright orange robe stood before Link. "You've been in the Sacred Realm for seven years, sleeping until you reached the appropriate age to become the Hero of Time." He smiled at Link. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rauru, one of the ancient Sages."

Jaina drowsily peeked over Rauru's shoulder. "Oh, Link, you're awake. Rauru was kind enough to let you and Navi rest in the Light Temple. I'm glad you're awake. Come on, stand up. Let's see you now." Link slowly got to his feet. Jaina looked him up and down. "My, how you've grown. Seven years have turned you into a young man worthy of becoming the Hero of Time."

Navi finally came to and looked around. "WAH! Where am I?" She shot into the air and nervously flitted around. Link couldn't help but laugh.

"Calm down Navi. We're in the Light Temple." Link held out a hand and Navi landed on his palm. The fairy looked up and tilted her head in confusion. "What is it?"

"How long have we been asleep?"

"Seven years," Rauru said. The Sage looked at Jaina. "It's up to you now, Goddess. Protect the boy and help him undo the damage Ganondorf has caused. There's no time to chat." He looked back at Link and Navi. "Link, I want you to have my Medallion. It will add my power to yours. Keep it with you on your quest to defeat Ganondorf." He handed a beautiful gold medallion to Link. "I trust you with the future of Hyrule and all of Hylia. Destroy the Evil King."

Jaina picked Link up like a kitten. "It's time to go. Thank you Rauru, my old friend." The dragon opened a dimensional portal and padded through. She stood in the Temple of Time. "We're off." She dropped Link on the cracked marble floor. He landed with a thud.

"Owww… Jaina, don't drop me! That really hurt!"

"Suck it up. You're the Hero of Time now Link. You'll hurt worse than that from now on. Let's get going. Come on!"

…

Jaina roared and paralyzed the ReDead as she, Navi, and Link fled Hyrule. The three of them ran through the gate and over the broken drawbridge into Hyrule Field. Jaina skidded to a halt and sniffed the air. "All I smell are Poe. We should head to Kokiri Forest. I have a feeling your friend Saria needs help."

Link nodded. "Let's get going then. I want to keep my home safe."

"First we need a Hookshot. We can get that in Kakariko. Let's go there first." She kitten-carried Link again and padded toward the village with Navi flying at her shoulder. Jaina stopped just outside the village and dropped Link again. "I can't enter the village. Talk to the people. I'll be waiting for you right here."

Link ran into the village with Navi. Jaina watched the two of them go. She sighed. "Please hurry you two. There isn't much time and Ganondorf is getting stronger by the second. Every moment counts." _No, they know that already. I don't need to remind them. Link's a strong young man and Navi is the cleverest fairy I know._

She sighed again and curled up to wait for Link and Navi to return. She drifted off to sleep quickly despite her worrying and constant thoughts. The moon was high when she woke. Link was prodding her side with a foot. "Wake up," he whispered. "Jaina, wake up. I got the Hookshot."

Jaina lifted her head, stood up, stretched, and yawned. "I'm awake, I'm awake."

"Good. Let's get going. The Kokiri Forest is in danger."

"Get on my back. I'll fly us there." **(Eheh, I can't type!) **The dragon crouched and allowed Link to climb onto her back. When the boy was settled Jaina spread her wings and leaped into the air. "Are you okay Link?"

"Yeah. How quickly can you get us there?"

"It'll take about three minutes if I don't stop. You and Navi just hold tight." It wasn't long before Jaina was soaring over the Lost Woods. "The forest temple's down there. I can't fly over it so we'll have to walk." She landed quietly and Link slid to the ground.

"Which way do we go?" Navi asked.

"The only way we can," Link said. He pulled out the Ocarina of Time and played the song Saria taught him before he left the forest. Saria's voice entered his mind.

_Link is that you? Help! I went to the Forest Temple because the spirits were crying but I was trapped by monsters! I can't get out! Hurry!_

The girl's voice faded. Jaina looked at Link. His face was cut by a grimace. "She's trapped in the Forest Temple. There are monsters holding her captive. She needs help right away."

"Then let's go," Jaina said. She paused when Link didn't follow. "Elfling, what is it? Are you feeling ill? Are you hurting? What's wrong?"

"She could be killed before we get there. We don't know what monsters are there or where Saria is in the temple." He leaned against a tree and took a deep breath in a failed attempt to calm himself. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "What if I can't save her? It'll be all my fault. I'll never be able to forgive myself if something happens to Saria. There's so much that can go wrong."

"But there's also so much that can go _right._" Jaina comfortingly set a forepaw on Link's shoulder. "Come on. The longer we sit around here the more likely something bad will happen to Saria."

Link stiffened. "I can't do this."

"Hogwash Link! You're the frickin' _Hero_ of Time! Don't be a coward!" Jaina grabbed Link in her jaws and set him forcefully on her back. "Enough talk. Let's go." The dragon stomped off toward the Temple. Low growling ahead caused her to stop. She bared her teeth. "Gannonites!"

Navi tilted her head. "Gannonites?"

"Yes. They're boar-dogs who serve Ganondorf. They're guarding the Forest Temple. I'll take them out. While I distract them you two run ahead." Jaina shook herself quickly, causing Link to fall to the ground. The dragon then roared and barreled into the beast. Navi dragged Link ahead and Jaina followed once the Gannonite was dead.

The pattern continued four more times until finally the trio stood at the Temple entrance. Jaina turned to face Link. "This is where you must be your bravest. Saria is counting on you so be strong. You must put your fears aside. Don't be afraid. Believe in yourself." She lowered her head. "I believe in you. I'm sure Saria wants you to be confident and fearless. Let's go."

**Um… Okaaaaaay… I don't know what to do! The game won't save anymore! Wah! Bleh. … I'm bored…**


	7. Chapter 7

**Dragon Goddess**

**Uuumm… 'Kay, sooo… Well, I've been playing Frozen Throne a lot lately (mostly Night Elf), so I guess that's why I had this dream last night about Illidan and Jaina talking about something… But that's really not important to the story!**

Jaina slowly padded up to the entrance of the Forest Temple. She lowered her head and whispered something almost inaudible. Link caught a bit of what she said; to him it sounded like she said "Anaria." He shrugged it off as the dragon raised her head.

"Link, the Temple Guardian has granted me permission to enter. I shall accompany you through the Temple to your destination." She turned to look at the teen. "However, I am forbidden to fly, so you must use your Hookshot to reach high places quickly. I also may not kill any creature within the Temple. I am not restricted from defending you or carrying you through water. I am also able to use my powers to heal and revive you, as well as slow or freeze time to allow a quick escape." She picked Link up in her jaws and set him on the platform at the Temple entrance before climbing up to join him. "I am ready. Point the way."

"Right." Link nervously stepped into the threshold and drew his sword, preparing for an encounter. Almost immediately, he was greeted by a pair of angry Skulltula. The giant spiders leaped to the ground, almost on top of Link. The teen stepped back. "That's not good. I can't slice through their backs."

Navi hovered between Link and the spiders. "Hey, listen! Try using the sword or shield to flip them onto their backs, and then slice their bellies!" The little blue fairy circled above the closer Skulltula, distracting it. "Hurry! I can only hold them for so long!"

Link seized his chance and bashed the spider's chin with his shield. The monstrous arachnid reared up and fell back, slamming into the other Skulltula, knocking them both senseless. Link, Navi, and Jaina laughed for a brief moment before Link brought the Master Sword down hard on the flipped spider's vulnerable underside. The stroke was powerful enough to pierce through the neck of the second Skulltula, killing both creatures. The trio hurried into the Temple's main chamber. Navi scanned the large area. Suddenly, she froze.

"Hey, listen!" She looked around cautiously and pointed toward the center of the chamber. Two crazed gray Wolfos glared eerily at the trio. "This is really bad!"

The Wolfos snarled and leaped into the air, lunging directly at Link. The teen barely raised his shield in time to block the savage beasts' attack. The wolf-beasts sprung back and circled in opposite directions around Link, clearly searching for an opening to attack. Without warning, one of the beasts barked and jumped Link from the right. Link blocked it with his shield. Unfortunately, that was the Wolfos' plan. The second howled and latched onto Link's back, sinking its fangs into the teen's neck. Link cried out in pain and tried to shake the Wolfos off his back. He futilely struck the other beast's face with his sword to keep it at bay.

Jaina, unable to stand aside any longer, lashed out and crunched the tail of the Wolfos on Link's back. The beast yelped and released Link, its forepaws covering its injured tail. Indignantly it ran into the shadows to regain its composure. Navi grabbed the second Wolfos by the tail and dragged it, whimpering, from Link. It struggled free and joined its companion in the shadows, red eyes glaring back at its tormentor. Navi flew immediately to Link and tried to stop the bleeding in his neck and back. Jaina gently soothed the wounds by licking them clean. Link's companions constantly glanced back at the growling Wolfos waiting in the shadows.

"Listen to me Elfling," Jaina whispered in Link's ear. "The only weak point on a Wolfos' body is its tail. Their hides are as strong as spider silk and hardened steel. It's no use beating them about the face; not even their bellies are unprotected."

"They are efficient team predators," Navi added. "That being said, if you take out one of these two, the other one is essentially helpless. But, I don't think it'll be easy to pull it off in one go. Wolfos are swift, intelligent. They often employ the 'Hit-and-Run' tactic, striking the target, and then retreating immediately. It's effective, especially for taking down large or heavily-armed prey, such as you, Link."

The young warrior closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and smirked defiantly. "We'll take 'em out." He stood up and approached the two pairs of glowing eyes. He was determined to overcome the obstacle before him. "Hey, don't tell me you've given up already. Come at me."

Navi jumped in front of him and hissed through clenched teeth. "Link, what are you doing?"

Link gently moved the fairy aside and raised his sword and shield, preparing for another bout with the Wolfos. "Stand down, Navi. I've got this." He held his shield in front of him and bent his sword arm slightly, the Master Sword angling about 135 degrees from the ground.

The Wolfos crept from the shadows and circled around Link again. The first Wolfos lunged, expecting Link to block with his shield; instead, Link spun 180 degrees, ramming his sword down the Wolfos' throat. The second Wolfos, caught off guard, hesitated for a heartbeat before zigzagging toward Link and springing around him at the last second. It lunged at Link's sword arm, burying its fangs in the warrior's flesh. Link grunted, but his smirk still remained.

"Gotcha!" He slammed himself down on top of the Wolfos and used his shield to repeatedly batter the tail of the Wolfos biting his arm. A few slams, and the beast's tail was flopping on the floor away from the rest of it. The Wolfos released Link, howled, and collapsed, dead. Link stood up and flung the live Wolfos against a nearby wall. The dazed beast lay slumped over for a moment before regaining its senses. It saw the body of its dead companion. It savagely bared its fangs, growling and biting at the air, white frothy saliva flicking from the Wolfos' tongue.

Link stepped back and stood under the protection of Jaina's wing. "Link, be on your guard. Now that its mate is dead, it won't stop fighting until one or both of you die. It won't retreat back to the shadows, won't let go if it grabs your throat, won't give you a second chance to block its attacks. You must be fully aware of your position, your opponent's position, and the environment around you, all at the same time. You can't lose focus for even a heartbeat." She licked Link's arm wound clean. "You must take it out. If you don't, not only might you die, but the poor beast will spend the rest of its life in lonely agony, and the Forest God just won't have that. Link… Link, just stay alive!"

Link rushed at the Wolfos. The beast lunged at its approaching adversary. The two met with a clash of steel and fangs. The sound of the impact reverberated throughout the chamber. It was so loud it shook loose centuries of piled-up dust on the walls, ceiling, et cetera. The dust formed a cloud around the combatants, mostly obscuring them from view. Navi flitted nervously by Jaina, her lacy wings stirring up more dust around her. The expanding dust cloud irritated Jaina's nose.

A loud yelp startled Jaina and she sneezed loudly, expelling most of the dust cloud from the room. When the rest of the dust settled, Jaina and Navi saw the shadowed figure of Link standing face-to-face with the enraged Wolfos. The beast's red eyes were dim. It was dying. In one final bid to kill Link, the beast pounced, forcing the teen to the ground. All was still for several minutes. Navi cautiously approached Link and the dead Wolfos.

"… Link? Link, are you okay?"

The young man coughed. He painfully sat up, pushing the corpse off his chest. His face was splashed with blood. His throat was torn and bloody, the red fluid staining the front of his tunic. Link shakily got to his feet and limped toward Jaina. "I… I did it… I beat… the Wolfos…"

Navi supported her injured friend the best she could with her small size. "You fought well. You are very brave, Link. I'm so proud of you. Just wait 'till the other fairies hear about this. They'll be so jealous. I'm the companion of the bravest warrior in Hylia. You've come a long way from the shy boy in the forest to the brave young man fighting to save Hylia."

Jaina softly nuzzled Link's cheek before licking the wound clean. **(Here it should be known that Jaina's saliva has healing properties.)** "You did very well, Elfling." She padded over to where the two Wolfos lay and sniffed them carefully. She sighed. "A gruesome death. The poor pitiful things. They were rabid. They both bit you Link, so you now have the virus in your blood. Don't worry though. I won't let you fall victim to the same illness that drove these helpless animals to savagery."

She raised her head. "But there's no time **(LOL, pun!)** to rest. We must keep moving." She approached the far end of the chamber and brushed the vines aside, revealing an old wooden door. "Navi! Link! Through here."

Her voice awoke something on the other side of the door. As Link and Navi approached Jaina, a large creature burst through the wall and snatched Jaina, dragging her into the dark hallway. The dragon's painful screams echoed throughout the entire Temple. Without a second thought, Link rushed into the shadows, sword drawn and ready for a fight. Navi followed suit and flew to the ceiling, emitting a strong blue light that illuminated the area. "Hey!"

Before Link, a monstrous Skulltula crouched on top of Jaina, digging its fangs into her neck. The spider glared ominously at Link. It continued to pump venom into Jaina's bloodstream. The dragon struggled futilely to escape the creature's grasp.

Link yelled and rushed at the Skulltula. The monster raised one of its eight giant legs and swatted at Link. The teen countered with a stroke of his sword. He jumped up and spun in midair, severing the arachnid's leg. The monster screeched and retaliated with a jab from a second spine-tipped leg. It pinned Link against a wall, the spines on its foot painfully spearing him and injecting venom.

Navi's mind raced. _Wha-What do I do? If I can only get it to release Link! Ohh, I just _know_ I'm going to die! _"Well, here goes!" The fairy slapped her wings to her sides and dive-bombed the spider. "Hey, Ugly! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" She bolted up to avoid the swipe of a spindly leg. "Look at me! I'm a tasty firefly! Betcha can't catch me! Nya-nya!" She constantly tainted the Skulltula until it raised its head with a screech. "Whoa! I'm in trouble!" Navi kept to her mission to free Jaina and dove perilously between spine-covered legs toward the monster's head. She ripped clear through one of the creature's ten eyes.

The Skulltula reared up with a shriek, its front legs covering its face. This gave Link the opportunity to slice through the leg piercing him. Dark blood spurted from the spider's leg as Link dropped to the ground. He jumped onto Jaina's shoulder and pointed the Master Sword up at the injured arachnid's unprotected underside. The monster fell onto the blade and quickly bled to death as Link sliced through the Skulltula's soft belly. The monster landed on its back and fell silent. Link wiped his brow and yanked the offending spines from his midsection.

Navi landed in front of Jaina. The groaning dragon lay on her right side, her one eye staring at the ceiling. "Well, this is rather unfortunate." She hissed in pain. "I'll just have to drop off the affected area, won't I?"

"Jaina," Navi whispered urgently, "you _know_ how much energy it takes to regenerate that much of your body! We can't afford to leave you to recover while Link is further inside the Temple fighting for his life!"

"We also can't afford to waste precious time waiting for the venom to fade," Jaina sternly whispered back. "You do remember why we came here? You know that if the Sage is killed then Gannondorf is that much closer to world conquest! And I _won't_ allow him to get away with murdering my only child, my son Cenarius! Navi, I've made up my mind! I'm cutting it off!"

"Jaina, don't-!"

The dragon raised her left forepaw and forcefully sliced through her neck with her talons, decapitating herself. Link gasped. "Jaina! What did you just do?"

Jaina laughed. "Don't worry Elfling. I've shed my body numerous times. I'll become whole in a few moments." Her headless trunk withered and dried out **(Hint: think mummy)**. Almost immediately Jaina's severed head began to glow. The light took on the shape of the dragon's body. "Remember Link: I'll only be killed if my gem is destroyed." The light cleared and Jaina, completely whole again, sat on her haunches and stared at Link in amusement.

Navi sweat-dropped with a sigh and motioned with her arms toward the door ahead. "Shall we move along, please?"

Link and Jaina followed Navi to the closed door at the end of the hall. Link cautiously opened the door and stepped inside, followed by Navi and Jaina's head. Jaina, being too large to fit through the door, merely stuck her head through the threshold and slid herself in up to her shoulders. She grinned sheepishly. "I'm stuck."

Link and Navi both sighed and shook their heads. A sound in the back of the room caught the trio's attention. Leaning against the wall like a pair of bored high-schoolers **(Yeah, you know the image)**, were two well-armed skeletons. They straightened up when they had the trio's full attention. They haughtily strutted toward the center of the room.

Jaina lowered her head to the floor and hissed. "Link, those are Stalfos. They're savage undead warriors who always battle in pairs. In life they were loyal partners, always watching each other's backs. In death they guard each other's skulls. Always aim for the head when using your sword. Understand that they will only die if both are taken out within ten seconds of each other, or else the vanquished one will reassemble himself and strike from behind. Strike when they do. They strike fast. You must be faster. They will try to bash you with their shields and strike behind yours. Navi will cue you on when to strike."

Link nodded and drew his sword. He and Navi approached the skeletons. The Stalfos leaped to opposite sides of the room and pointed their swords at Link. Navi hovered by the teen's shoulder. "They have a way of communicating without words," she quickly whispered. "Learn to read their movements. Observe first, then fight."

As soon as Navi stopped talking the skeletons dashed forward. Link leaped forward and somersaulted away, jumping to his feet and turning to face the enemies. One Stalfos stood with his sword piercing the ground where Link stood moments before. The other stood with his shield thrust out above his partner's sword. The eyeless skulls seemed to glare at Link. Both warriors charged at Link, shields in position to ram him. They weren't but two feet away when Navi cued Link to attack.

"Link! Upward stroke left!"

Steel flashed. One Stalfos clattered into a pile of bones and metal. The second Stalfos chattered and stepped back.

"Link! Hookshot to the leg! Your left!"

The Hookshot ripped through the remaining skeleton's right leg. The Stalfos fell.

"Link! Downward stroke to the head!"

Link brought his sword down hard on the skeleton's cranium. There was a loud otherworldly groan. Both skeletons remained still and silent. Link sheathed his sword. "That was an honorable battle. You've both earned your eternal rest." A gleam caught Link's eye. One of the Stalfos had dropped a small key. Link picked up the key and walked over to Jaina. "A door?"

"Perhaps," Jaina replied. She backed up and slipped her head back through the door. "Let's go back. Sooner or later we'll find your friend."

The trio approached the northwest passage in the main chamber. A Time Block was in the way. Link took hold of the Ocarina of Time and played the Song of Time. The obstacle disappeared. Almost immediately a large Deku Baba snapped at the trio. Link hit the plant with his shield and sent it recoiling back to its leaf bed. There were three eerie hisses on the wall to the right. Three spiders resembling Skulltula glared at the intruders.

"Skullwalltula." Navi shook her head. "Those things are holy terrors. Use your Hookshot to get rid of them quickly."

"Or," Jaina said approaching the wall, "we could just do this." She punched the wall, sending the three spiders tumbling to the ground on their backs. "They're pretty easy to handle. C'mon, let's climb before they right themselves."

**Well, I've just been using a few online resources to write this chapter. Yeah, I mixed a few things up, but oh well. I think it's coming along pretty well. Just so you know, Jaina isn't really her name; it's just an alias she uses to protect herself (It's actually her mother's name). Sooo… Who wants tacos?**


	8. Chapter 8

**Dragon Goddess**

**I'm just gonna skip a bit to the Wallmaster, then right to the first Poe Sister. Yeap, it's Joelle. Anyway, I'm lacking some serious inspiration right now. Yay, no inspiration!**

Jaina grunted when the disembodied hand landed heavily on her back. She was acting as a barrier between it and Link. The teen was making his way toward an ornate chest on a high platform, making sure to stay under Jaina for protection. The Wallmaster followed Link's movements from Jaina's back and remained above his position. Link reached the chest after a few minutes. Of course, that meant the Wallmaster was resting painfully on Jaina's gem.

"Link, I'm losing energy. Hurry up so I can toss this thing."

Link opened the chest quickly. Inside was a Heart Container. "Got it! This'll come in handy later." He jumped to the floor and rushed out of the room. "Let's go!"

"Oh, _finally_!" Jaina tossed her head back, catapulting the Wallmaster over her shoulder. The disgruntled oddity crawled into a crag in the wall in retreat. Jaina followed Link. "Navi, where did you say that chest was?"

…

Link stared blankly at the three pictures. The center frame was the only one with an image- a ghostly female with a red glow. Navi hovered over Link's head. "Hey, listen! Shoot an arrow at the center frame. The image will appear in one of the other two. Do it Link!"

Just to get the annoying blue fly to shut her yap **(LOL, I know we all feel that way about Navi!)**, Link aimed an arrow at the image and fired. The arrow struck an empty frame. The image reappeared on the frame to the right. "Whoa." Link fired at the second frame. The image reappeared in the final frame. Link fired a third time. Suddenly, there was an otherworldly female shriek and a Poe with a red lantern fled the frame.

"Her name is Joelle," Jaina explained. "She is- was- the youngest of four sisters who now haunt this Temple. There's another story for another time. Right now, you need to silence Joelle. I recommend using my fire to light your arrows. Funny story, really." She spit a tiny ball of flame on the ground in front of her. "Remember, Poe are ethereal spirits. She'll try to attack through a dimensional blanket of sorts. Remember to have your shield ready."

Link knocked an arrow and dipped the tip into Jaina's fire. He fired at the apparition and hit her squarely in the head. She cackled like all Poe do and vanished, only her lantern remaining visible, swinging wildly at Link. The warrior raised his shield and thrust it forward, knocking the lantern away. Joelle shrieked and reappeared. By this time, Link had maneuvered himself so that the flame was between him and the Poe. He fired three arrows through the flame and into Joelle. The blazing arrows were enough to convince Joelle to return to her picture frames, now empty of arrows- Navi had gathered them to be reused. The apparition reappeared in the center frame, only there was no red glow.

…

"This is the third-born sister, Beth," Jaina whispered. The subject of the comment danced around the room, illuminated by a strange blue glow. "She's a bit stronger and faster than Joelle. Keep your guard up. Run the Master Sword through my flame and slash Beth as fast and as often as you can."

Link nodded. "I'll take care of it. Besides, I want to hear those stories you mentioned." He waited several minutes for Beth to draw close, then spun quickly, sweeping the blade through the fire and the apparition three times in a row. He had to stop for a moment because he got dizzy. Beth, meanwhile, had disappeared and was circling around Link with her blue lantern swinging.

Navi grabbed the lantern to distract the Poe and draw her into the physical dimension. "Link! Slash now, then stab to finish it!"

Link swung the blade in a circle, again passing through the fire, and quickly stabbed the apparition. Beth dropped her lantern and returned to her frames without her blue glow.

…

Link grunted and pushed the final block into place. There was a loud Poe cackle, and a green apparition materialized in front of Link, swinging her lantern in his face.

"This is the second-oldest sister, Amy," Jaina explained. "She's stronger and faster than Joelle and Beth. You'll need to think fast and keep on your toes."

Link focused his attention on Amy. He took a slow, deep breath to gather his energy. His blue eyes glinted slightly green from Amy's spectral glow. The young man forced his left palm downward. "Din's Fire!" A bright red flare erupted under the Poe. Said ghost shrieked and vanished. Link barely dodged the swinging green lantern **(LOL, "Green Lantern!")**. He bashed the glowing object with his shield and jumped to his feet.

Amy reappeared and circled rapidly around Link. The teen grew dizzy and fell to his knees. Amy took the opportunity and smacked Link's face with her lantern before disappearing again. Navi rushed in and herself circled around Amy- at least, where Amy _should_ have been- in a desperate bid to distract the Poe. It worked, but not in a way the trio had hoped. Amy cackled and swatted Navi aside with her lantern. The little fairy rolled to a stop beside Link.

The teen carefully picked up his injured companion and placed her on his head, covering her with his cap. He slowly got to his feet and gripped the hilt so hard his knuckles turned white. He yelled and brought the sword down swiftly upon the apparition. Amy vanished and returned to her frame, the green glow now absent.

Link removed his cap and took Navi from atop his head. Jaina peered worriedly over Link's shoulder, her white eye wide open in distress. "That sounded like it hurt. But it doesn't appear too serious. She's just a bit dazed. Let her rest a bit, and she'll come to."

Link nodded. "She's such a hard worker. She deserves a break, especially from looking after me in a place like this."

"Link, we've looked pretty much everywhere in the whole Temple and there's been no sign of your friend. Are you sure she's still even in the Temple?"

The teen pulled out the Ocarina and played Saria's Song. He listened intently to Saria's voice in his head. "She says she's right below us. She's trapped, but she's unharmed." He put the Ocarina away and leaned back against Jaina's chest. "At least, knowing that she's not hurt, I can slow the pace a bit and rest easy." He closed his eyes. "It seems like an eternity since I left her in the forest. Hard to believe it's only been seven."

"And you've been asleep the whole time," Jaina reminded him. "Heh, you and Navi both slept like babies." She lowered her head and nuzzled Link's cheek. Her eye glowed with pride in the young man in her care. "You've become so brave, so strong. You've lost seven years, but you've matured well beyond your age." She closed her eye and hummed softly. The melody reminded Link of how tired he was. The teen soon fell asleep. Jaina trussed his hair with her snout. "You remind me so much of my son. Only, you're far less gullible than he."

She sighed and closed her eye. She listened carefully to the sounds of the Temple. _Spiders, snakes, bats… Hmm, sounds like a wildcat… I hear fish, Deku Baba, and there's the Octorok… Monkeys, various small birds, an owl… _"An owl?" She quickly raised her head. "Yes, I definitely heard the hoot of an owl…" _Could it be-?_ "… Bubo?" There was no response. Jaina shrugged. "Guess it's just wishful thinking." She gently nudged Link to rouse him. "Elfling, it's time to wake up. Let's go find your friend." She helped Link to his feet. "Wake your fairy."

Link prodded Navi softly to wake her. The fairy yawned, stretched, rubbed her eyes, and lifted off of Link's hand. The trio prepared to continue. Jaina opened a dimensional portal to the Temple's main chamber. Waiting for them was a fourth apparition, this one with a deep violet glow. Jaina slowly lowered her head. "This is Meg, the eldest, strongest, and fastest of the four sisters. Be very careful with this one. She can create doppelgangers to confuse you. You must pay close attention to her movements Link, for not even her skills of mirroring are perfect."

The ghost cackled and floated around the room. Link followed her movements carefully, his eyes never leaving his spectral target. It was a stand-off. Nothing really happened for over an hour. Navi hovered beside Link, searching carefully for a weak spot to focus on. Jaina watched the scene closely until a small movement distracted her and she looked away. When her attention returned, Meg had multiplied. Now there were four Poe surrounding Link and Navi.

_Crap! I didn't catch which is the real one! She must've been waiting for at least one of us to lose our concentration! That little wraith!_ Jaina roared in self-consequence, distracting one of the images and causing her to look briefly away.

Navi seized the moment. "Hey!" She pointed at the distracted Poe. "That's the real one!"

Link tossed his sword at the apparition. The other three Poe vanished, leaving Meg shrieking and vulnerable. Link fired an arrow through a lit torch and struck the ghost. Meg shrieked again and split. The four mirror-images circled around Link and Navi, purple lanterns swinging madly.

"Navi, you'd better think of something, 'cause I'm out of ideas." Link raised his shield defensively. He glanced from side to side, hoping to find the real Meg. He noticed that one of the apparitions was sluggish and barely levitating. Link thrust his shield at the weakened Poe. It vanished. "Dang it! That was a decoy!"

"Link, watch out!"

One of the ghosts hit Link upside the head with her lantern, knocking him down. Blood soaked his hair and tunic. Jaina caught scent of Link's injury and hissed loudly. She unleashed a wheel of scorching venom that seared through the two copies and sent Meg scurrying behind Link. Jaina grinned. "Link, she's behind you! Snag that lantern and smack her!"

The teen groggily took hold of the lantern and swung it at Meg. The gibbering Poe grabbed the lantern and vanished, defeated. Link picked up his sword and sheathed it. Navi flitted around above him, keeping watch for any foe that might still be hiding in the shadows.

…

"This is the last room in the Temple, Link," Jaina said. "If your friend really is here, this is where she'll be." She slowly padded into the large circular room. She looked around and turned to face Link. "There's no one here but the three of us. Maybe she got out without us realizing?"

"It looks that way," Navi answered.

Link nodded. "Let's get out of here. This room gives me the creeps."

As the trio turned to leave, a spiked metal gate burst from the floor to block their path. There was an evil laugh behind them. In the center of the room, astride a large black horse, was Phantom Ganon. He pointed his three-pronged lance directly at Link's throat. Jaina rumbled and shoved Link and Navi behind her.

"I heard nothing about not disemboweling this monstrosity. Link, let me handle this. If I can't kill Ganondorf himself, I may as well settle for this wretch." The dragon snarled and lunged. Phantom Ganon fired a ball of electricity from his lance that exploded in Jaina's throat, leaving her gasping for air. "Damn that man! I don't… have the strength… to renew my body… a second time! Damn, damn, damn, damn, DAMN!" She lashed her tail in an attempt to knock her opponent from his horse. She missed. "Ah, it figures… Dammit! Link, I'm sorry… but you will… have to fight anyway! I'm… clearly in over my head!"

Link- who had been cowering with Navi during Jaina's fit- quickly drew his sword and leaped at the phantom. "He won't get away with hurting you!" He swung and missed- Phantom Ganon and his mount had entered one of the eight paintings on the walls and disappeared.

Navi scanned the frames. "Hey, listen! Phantom Ganon will most likely try to fool you by using these pictures! Keep your eyes peeled and your weapons ready!"

The phantom rushed toward Link in two frames on opposite walls. The darker image turned away at the last second, and the real phantom galloped out, sending a ball of energy hurtling toward Link from above. Jaina blasted it away with a breath of fire. "It seems the darker image is a decoy to draw your attention away from the real monster. Focus, and have your bow ready as he leaves the paintings."

Two more images appeared. As before, the darker one turned away and the real phantom galloped out. This time, Link was ready for him. The warrior fired an arrow as Phantom Ganon leaped over him. The horse screamed and bolted into another frame. Navi looked around. "I'll let you know which one is the real thing."

Link nodded. "Thanks Navi. I can always count on you."

"On your left!"

"Left?"

"Right!"

"Right?"

"No, left is right!"

"Oh, left!"

"Left!"

"Right!"

…

Link's arrow struck the horse a sixth time. The shadowy beast screamed, tossed his rider, and shot into the frame ahead. Phantom Ganon hovered over Link. He blasted an orb of electricity at our green-clad hero **(LOL, I've always wanted to say that!)**. Navi was struck with an idea as Link dodged the blast.

"Hey, listen! If you hit the orb with your sword at the right moment, you can send it right back at him with a higher velocity! But I can't accurately judge the right instant because of the energy produced by the blast!"

Link sweat-dropped. "Gee, thanks."

"Use your brain to figure out when to strike!"

The phantom shot a second energy ball at Link. The warrior didn't react in time and was struck squarely in the chest. He cried out in pain and dropped ho his hands and knees, gasping for air.

"Don't ever give up." Jaina looked sideways at her charge, her eye strict and determined. "Don't ever give up, not even for an instant. Think back, Link. Remember that little boy who took down that horrid one-eyed insect? The one who literally entered the belly of the beast to recover a lost princess? The child who survived the onslaught of the Infernal Dinosaur? Remember the young man who took hold of the Master Sword and became the Hero of Time? Think back, Link. Remember why you came here. Remember who you are." She softly blew his blood-matted hair. "Remember your sweet Kokiri friend."

Link's eyes flew open at the mention of Saria. He pushed himself to his feet and picked up his sword, pointing the blade right at Phantom Ganon. He glared sideways at his foe **(You know the look)**. "You've left a Goddess injured and my fairy unable to help. I won't allow you to strike me down. Prepare yourself, you abomination. Here I come!" He charged and swung his blade upward. It was met with Phantom Ganon's lance with a loud ring.

Link jumped back and swatted aside a bolt of energy. The ghost sent it flying back. The two played a long round of Dead Man's Volley until the phantom missed a stroke and fell victim to his own magic attack. He fell to the ground in a stunned daze. Link rushed up and repeatedly slashed Phantom Ganon until the latter jumped back into the air. There was another round of the deadly game. Link won again. He was beginning to tire. The third round began. Four volleys in, Link missed his swing and was forced back by the orb. He barely recovered in time to send an incoming attack smashing into Phantom Ganon's face.

The specter fell once again. Link fired an arrow, piercing the stunned phantom's skull. In a last-ditch effort to win, Phantom Ganon rushed at Link with his lance poised to impale the teen. Link raised the Master Sword and blocked his opponent's attack before finishing him off with a blast of his Hookshot.

Phantom Ganon howled and ignited into pale blue flame. The real Ganondorf's voice emanated from somewhere in the room.

"_Hey kid, you did quite well… It looks like you may be gaining some slight skill… But you have defeated only my phantom… When you fight the real me, it won't be so easy!"_

A purple void opened beneath the phantom as Ganondorf continued.

"_What a worthless creation that ghost was!"_ The phantom covered his face in agony as his creator began to force him through the void. _"I will banish it to the gap between dimensions!"_

The burning specter was sucked into the swirling portal that closed after he vanished. Jaina nudged Link toward a Heart Container that restored his energy and boosted his vitality slightly. "You did very well." The dragon licked her charge's cheek, cleaning the blood from his face. "You kept your cool and didn't let your anger get in the way. I'm very proud of you, Elfling." She nuzzled him gently. "Your chest, neck, shoulders, and part of your face are covered in second- and third-degree energy burns and you still have that rabies virus."

Link tiredly slumped against Jaina. "I'm beat… I'm exhausted… I need to rest…"

Navi hovered at Link's side. "You deserve it."

"Not just yet, my friends," Jaina said. "We still haven't found the girl. But I have a feeling I know where we'll find her. Look." She motioned with her head to a glowing blue portal across the room. "There's a Sage that's just been awakened. I'll carry you." She carefully set Link on her back and stepped through the portal.

The trio was transported directly to the Sages' Realm. Saria stood silently before them, a shiny green Medallion in her hands. She nervously looked up and locked eyes with Link's. She took a slow, shaky breath.

"Thank you… Because of you, I could awaken as a Sage… I am Saria. The Sage of the Forest Temple… I always believed that you would come. Because I know you…" She shook her head when Link tried to speak. "No… You don't have to explain it to me… Because it is destiny that you and I can't live in the same world." Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued. "I will stay here as the Forest Sage and help you… Now, please take this Medallion…" She approached Link- who had slid from Jaina's back- and pressed the green Medallion into Link's palm.

The young Sage tearfully looked away as Link, Navi, and Jaina began to disappear from the Sages' Realm. Link's eyes were cloudy and hot tears rushed down his cheeks. Jaina comfortingly pulled the young man close and nuzzled him. She spoke soothingly to her pained charge.

"Saria will always be… your friend…"

**Well, there you have it. Again, I used some online resources and what bits of memory I could piece together to continue this fic. I've got the Discovery Fit & Health Channel on right now! Just watched Bizarre ER, and now it's Untold Stories of the ER! Ahem! Anyway, yes, I did use lines directly from Ocarina. Also, Jaina (which, as I mentioned before, is just a nickname) uses quotes from a number of Warcraft characters. The next installment is the stories Link so desperately wants to hear.**

**R & R plz!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Dragon Goddess**

**I'm just working off of theories I found online, and my own little ideas as well. I'll tell you the order: The first is using the theories; the other is using my own little ideas.**

"Hey, Jaina?"

"Yes Link? What is it?"

"Well, you mentioned a couple things back in the Temple and… Well, I want to hear about them. Please? It'll give me some peace of mind."

Jaina thought silently for a moment. "Well, I suppose, if it'll make you feel better, I may as well. Um… Yes, the first one. It was the Poe sisters, yes?"

"That's right."

"Well, long before the Forest Temple actually _became_ the Forest Temple…" She took a moment to catch her breath. "Well, before it became what it is now, it was the home of a very wealthy family. Now, this was all well before the Kokiri discovered they could enter the Lost Woods, actually called the Faron Woods. Anyway, this family was very self-absorbed and very vain. Both parents were misers and rarely gave their money to anyone besides their four beautiful daughters: Meg, Amy, Beth, and Joelle.

"The Forest God Daruka became very angry with the family, as they never gave of themselves to help those in need, nor would they honor us Gods or give us any thanks, especially to Daruka, whose beasts he allowed them to kill for food, clothing, and shelter. Daruka had brushed it off for almost thirty years before deciding to take action. So he came to the parents with his four eldest sons and said that they would be allowed to continue living as they were only if their daughters married his sons. Otherwise, they would be forever banished from the Faron Woods and stripped of their wealth. They agreed, or so it seemed. The four sisters were eager to meet the sons of a God.

"When at last the day of the weddings arrived, the sisters were nowhere to be found, and the parents were acting very suspicious. The four grooms entered the mansion to find their brides. The poor girls were found stuffed in a chest under the parents' bed. Protective Meg the Violet had tried to protect her younger sisters from their murderous parents. Amy the Green attempted to carry on for Meg, but she too had fallen victim to her parents. Dear, sweet Beth the Aquamarine futilely put herself between her little sister and their parents.

"At last, poor, fragile little Joelle the Crimson stood alone, her three sisters dead before her. She couldn't imagine life without her guardians, and, holding their bodies close, waited for her end. The tears were still wet on her cheeks. Enraged, Daruka rallied the Gods and declared the punishment for the parents who would rather kill their own children than see them give their wealth to another. The two were executed in separate shallow graves that night. The spirits of the four unfortunate girls remained attached to their home. The brothers they were to marry became the Guardians of the mansion and dedicated it to their father for helping him uncover the brutal deaths of their wives-to-be, and thus it became known as the Forest Temple."

"That's really scary. And sad. Remind me never to get on Daruka's bad side."

"Got it."

"Now, what's the story about the Poe and fire?"

"Ah, yes, now this is something I'm quite familiar with. About a quarter-million years ago I was involved in a great war to defend Azaroth. The common enemy of all races was a massive force called the Burning Legion, namely the Undead. Now, rotting corpses don't make the best resurrected warriors. So in order to preserve the corpses the Legion chose to center their origins in the frozen continent on the roof of the world: Northrend. The cold north prevents the dead bodies from rotting at or above the normal rate of decomposition. The Undead were soldiers of ice, frost, and cold. Their greatest enemy was fire."

"So Poe are remnants of the ancient Undead forces," Link concluded.

"Very good Link! Yes, the Poe are indeed the spawn of the Burning Legion. And since they originate from cold, frozen Northrend, fire is their greatest enemy. Even ghosts are subject to decay. Another interesting note: The fire in their lanterns is the frozen essence of the crown of the planet, the Icecrown Glacier. Since the Legion's downfall and the destruction of the demons' hold over the dead of Azaroth, the glacier has remained the center of attention for those who seek to fully eliminate the Undead. The Icecrown Glacier contains the Frozen Throne, where the Lord of the Dead- the Lich King- resides, always watching, eternally haunting my nightmares."

Navi added her own explanation to Jaina's final comment. "For centuries Jaina and I… along with numerous allies… have tried to destroy the Frozen Throne, and every time… we failed."

"Navi!" Jaina hissed. "You didn't need to add that!" She paused. "Even though it is true." The dragon chuckled. "Some leader I turned out to be. Anyway, I tend to frighten the Undead in all forms because of my reign over the element of fire. Even the dimmest spark repels the reanimated warrior-slaves. It consumes and destroys their bodies and leaves them truly and completely… dead."

"That's not funny at all Jaina."

"Oh… Did I call it a funny story back there? Huh. Well, it doesn't really matter now." She lowered and tilted her head to make full eye-contact with Link. "You won't find any Undead where we're headed next."

"Where _are_ we headed next?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll recognize it. You'll know when we get there. Here, climb on my back. I'll just warp us there." She crouched so Link could swing himself onto her back. Navi settled herself on top of Link's head. Jaina opened a temporal rift and entered an odd dimension. "First, we rest." She lay down on the floor on top of a giant tile hour-glass. "This is my dimension: the Temporal Realm. All time originates from this place."

"Shouldn't we keep working?" Link asked.

"Don't worry. I have the ability to return to the exact moment and spot when and where we entered this realm. I come here to rest when my powers need to be replenished. I need to rest. You do too."

Link yawned. "You're right. I'm bushed."

Navi, meanwhile, had fallen asleep on Link's head. The teen chuckled and covered the fairy with his cap before leaning back against Jaina's side and falling asleep himself. Jaina couldn't see Link- he was on her right side- without disturbing him with her movements. She rested her chin on her forepaws and soon joined her companions in the dream world.

…

**(AN: This is one of Jaina's flashbacks. These will only appear as she sleeps.)**

Arthas defiantly stamped his foot. "There's no hope! The village _must_ be purged!"

Jaina could barely believe what she was hearing. Her childhood friend and Lordaeron's Paladin Prince was actually suggesting killing an entire village? Without considering the consequences of his actions?

"Jaina?"

Arthas' voice snapped her back to reality. She shook her head, looked down, and sighed. "I'm sorry Arthas… I can't watch you do this… I-… I'm sorry…" She ran after Uther and the men following him. Tears flew from her cheeks as she ran. Her mind was racing. _Has Arthas really forgotten his duty as a Paladin and the future King of Lordaeron? I can't believe he's really going to go through with this! Not Arthas! Please, Nayru, not my Arthas!_ She finally came to a stop in a secluded forest clearing. She was hunched over with her hands gripping her knees as she cried. A sleeping white fairy woke when she heard the young woman bawling her heart out.

The curious fairy peered from behind a tree and looked shyly at Jaina. _That woman… Why is she crying? Someone must have broken her heart, the poor thing…_ "What troubles you?"

Jaina sniffled and looked to the tiny fairy slowly approaching her. "A-Are you a f-fairy? Did you j-just speak to m-me?" Jaina sniffled again.

"Yes. My name is Navi. I was sleeping nearby when your sobbing roused me from my nap."

"S-Sorry…" Jaina broke down again and dropped to her knees. "I-I didn't kn-know anyo-one was s-sleeping he-here…"

"Who tore your heart dear?"

Jaina opened her mouth to speak, but another wave of uncontrollable bawling took over and pulled her voice away. Navi kindly patted the young woman's shoulder to comfort her.

_**Time skipped two years ahead.**_

"No, I would never send my men against you. We were allies once. I can't take up arms against your people." Jaina looked the young Warchief in the eye. "I understand your concern, Thrall. Your accusations are well-founded. But I could never turn my back on the help you gave me in the past."

Thrall nodded slightly. "We have fought and bled together on many battlefields. I can never forget that. Still, it concerns me that humans still threaten my people." The Orc leader thought silently for several seconds. "I believe you, Miss Proudmoore. However, I believe it would be helpful to at least investigate the recent conflict."

Jaina nodded. "I agree. I think I may know where the soldiers threatening your people might be based. There's a peninsula a few miles to the east. I bet we'll find the source of the conflict. Come on, I'll lead you there."

…

Jaina slowly blinked open her eye. She tilted her head and glanced at the hourglass on the ground. _We'd best get going._ She yawned and shook her head. "Wake up, Link, Navi. It's time to head out. Come on, open those eyes, stretch those limbs. There's a mission we've got to complete." She stood up and stretched with another yawn.

**Well, now I'm lacking inspiration again. I really need to get back on the story…**


	10. Chapter 10

**Dragon Goddess**

**I'm skipping right to Goron City now. Hey, like I said before, I'm seriously lacking inspiration. Blame me if you want. I won't argue.**

"Well, well, if it isn't Darunia's boy." Jaina halted the young Goron's rolling with a forepaw and held him there like a ball. "Little Link, it's only been five years. Don't tell me you've forgotten me, child."

The Goron slowly uncurled and looked up. "Miss Jaina!" The child sobbed and threw his arms around the dragon's neck. "They're gone! He took them! Waaah!"

"Huh? What? Who?" Jaina looked around the empty cavern. Not a soul. "Junior, where is everyone? Are you all alone here?"

The kid nodded. "Uh-huh…"

Link glanced quickly about. "Not even Darunia seems to be around…"

"You're Brother Link, aren't you?"

"Um… Yes, actually. What happened?"

"While my dad was out… Ganondorf's followers came back and took them all away! All of them will be eaten by Volvagia! Dad said Ganondorf has revived Volvagia… As a warning to those who might oppose him, Ganondorf is going to feed them all to Volvagia! Dad went to the Fire Temple all by himself to try to save everyone… Please help, Link!"

"I can't refuse this. Your people trust me, and I won't let them down. Don't worry Link. I will set them free."

Jaina rocked back on her haunches a bit. "Beneath the roaring flames of Death Mountain resides the Fire Temple. It is a symbol of strength and courage, fueled by a burning heart. Many old heroes are remembered in its wake. The heat inside Death Mountain Crater alone is enough to fry any human alive. Goron or Dodongo hide, as well as my own scales, may offer some protection, but I can't kill a Goron, all the Dodongo are gone, and I'm certainly not ripping off my own skin to protect you."

The young Goron sniffled. "There _is_ a Dodongo-skin tunic. I have it here. Take it Link." He presented Link with a dark red tunic. "It'll help protect you from the heat inside the Temple."

…

"Wow, it's really hot in here."

"Glad you're wearing that tunic?"

"You bet." Link scanned Death Mountain Crater. He pointed to a large tunnel opening at the other end. "Is that the entrance?"

"Yes it is. Here, climb on my back. I'll get us there in no time flat **(LOL, another pun!)**." Jaina crouched so Link could get on. She quickly sprung off her hind legs and leaped to the Temple entrance. "Hey, it's already open. Darunia must already be inside." She padded inside and sniffed the burning air. "Ahh, it feels like forever since I was last in here… Feels kind of nice, actually… I really need to find the time to come here more often…"

"Um, Jaina?"

"Huh?"

"Shouldn't we be looking for the Gorons?"

"Let me calm my nerves a bit. The heat'll do me good."

"Jaina, they could be monster-fodder for all we know."

"Yeah, we should move." Jaina padded deeper into the Temple. "Hey, there's Darunia. Big Brother Darunia!"

The Goron leader looked over his shoulder. "Jaina, Link, do not attempt to follow me. I alone must follow my ancestor's footsteps, and slay the Subterranean Lava Dragon. You should turn back now. I must face Volvagia, with or without the Legendary Hammer." Darunia turned away and entered a large chamber. The rusted metal door closed and locked behind him.

Jaina sighed. "Ohh… Darunia…"

"We should go after him."

"No Link. First we must release his imprisoned brethren. It would be the highest honor to allow him the chance to face the beast on his own. That horrid monster is a vile beast none of our race would dare consider a dragon." Jaina opened several temporal rifts around her and peered into each one. "Good, I've found them. Link, I will hold the rifts open, but you must free the Gorons. Always keep your eyes peeled for Fire Keese, Flare Dancers, and Torch Slugs. Also, return to me after freeing each prisoner so I can restore you. Go now, and be brave."

Link nodded and sprung from Jaina's back into the first rift. Jaina settled down in the lava and continued to focus her energy on maintaining the rifts.

…

Jaina sat down on the large switch. The flames leading up to the massive chest flickered out. "Run boy. This is your chance. This switch is becoming a real pain in my ass."

Link, not wanting to irritate the dragon further, quickly dashed up the narrow stairway and opened the chest. "Is this the Legendary Hammer?"

"That's the one. Stay where you are. I'll come get you." Jaina leaped from the switch and grabbed Link in her jaws as she flew up. She made a sharp U-turn back through the rift and landed in front of the locked door that led to Volvagia and almost certain death. "Well, this marks the way to Volvagia and almost certain death** (LOL, Lemony Snickett reference!)**."

Link sighed and slid to the ground. He rested the Megaton Hammer on his shoulder. "We may as well go on and face it." He inserted the ornate key into the lock and slowly turned it counter-clockwise. The rusty chains retracted and the door swung open with a loud, strained creak. "This is it."

"There's no turning back now." Jaina flicked her ear. "Too bad Navi can't stand the heat. She'd really come in handy right about now… Oh well. You ready for this?"

"Whether or not I'm ready doesn't really matter. It's now or never."

Link and Jaina slowly passed through the doorway and halted in the center of the chamber. On the floor were several wide pits that spewed black ashy smoke. A loud rumble from beneath the floor caused the section the two were standing on to fall several yards into the lava. Link braced himself with the Hammer while Jaina sprung straight into the air. There was another rumble and one of the pits shot out a jet of flame. A monstrous serpentine beast of lava and flame burst out of the flame and circled in the air over Link and Jaina.

"That's the Subterranean Lava Dragon," Jaina hissed. "That- That… _thing_ doesn't deserve to be called a dragon!" She snarled at the flaming monstrosity when he drew too close. "I had hoped it would _stay_ dead!"

"I thought you told me there were no Undead here!"

"This is no Undead creature. No, this abomination is a fully restored monster!"

Volvagia hissed and dove into one of the pits. The ground shook as he slithered beneath Link, searching for the perfect attack angle. He didn't strike for almost a minute.

"Link, behind you!"

Too late. Volvagia latched his jaws around Link's body. The warrior cried out in pain and surprise. Blood spewed from the lacerations. Jaina roared and sunk her own fangs into Volvagia's neck, completely unaffected by the beast's flaming mane. Volvagia hissed and released Link. Jaina's hold on Volvagia faltered, and he slid back into the pit.

"I'm sorry Link. I should've seen it earlier. It's my fault. Wait! To the left! Swing the Hammer when you see its snout."

Link gripped the Hammer tightly and slowly shuffled toward the pit Jaina had indicated. A few moments later a jet of flame burst from the opening. Link yelled and swung the Hammer, connecting is squarely with Volvagia's face. The stunned monster dropped his head, giving Link the opportunity to slash him repeatedly with his sword. Volvagia reared up and propelled himself into the air. He spat a volley of fireballs at Link. Jaina slammed into the fiery beast as Link avoided the fireballs.

Volvagia hissed and dove back into one of the pits. Link readied the Hammer to strike again. Volvagia rumbled and confused Link. He shot fire out of three pits around Link. The teen gathered his strength and swung the Hammer in a fast circle, slamming Volvagia and forcing him right into Jaina's waiting jaws. Volvagia hissed and struggled to free himself. Link brought the Hammer down on Volvagia's head. The monster roared and thrashed, causing numerous large boulders to fall from above. One of the falling chunks of rock grazed Link's right arm. Another piece landed painfully on Jaina's back. She roared and released Volvagia.

"Are you okay Link?"

"No, I'm not! Heads up!" Link shattered a falling boulder with a swing of the Hammer.

"Get down!" Jaina head-butted Volvagia as he approached. She recoiled, dizzy, from the impact.

Volvagia collapsed. Link struck the downed monster repeatedly with the Hammer. Finally, Volvagia hissed, leaped into the air, circled a few times, and crumbled into a skeleton. His skull landed in front of Link, still gasping for breath. At last, Volvagia was dead.

Link limped to Jaina's side and sat down. He groaned and rubbed his sore arm. Jaina shook her head and whipped it around to lick her bleeding back wound. Link noticed a Heart Container clasped in Volvagia's jaws. He slowly approached the skull and retrieved the item. He also saw a glowing blue portal to the Sages' Realm.

"Another Sage, huh?"

Jaina grunted and crawled through the portal with Link. They stood face-to-face with Darunia. The Goron smiled when he saw the two before him. "Hey, Brother, take this!" He flicked a bright red Medallion in Link's direction. The startled teen fumbled and grabbed hold of the shining round charm. "This is a Medallion that contains the power of the fire spirits—and my friendship." He blinked calmly as the Sages' Realm slowly vanished.

Jaina yawned and stretched before settling down on her belly. Link sat down and leaned back against Jaina's left ribcage, quietly studying the details of the Fire Medallion. Jaina turned her head and in turn studied Link. _He never ceases to amaze me…_ She smiled to herself and rested her chin on her forepaws, soon falling asleep.

Link looked up when he noticed Navi approaching. "Hey," he whispered, "you're back. Too bad you can't last long inside the volcano. You would've been a great help in there."

Navi sat cross-legged on Link's knee. "Sorry. I really wish I could've been there with you two, but Lesser Faye aren't meant for high temperatures. So, who's the new Fire Sage?"

"It's Darunia. He didn't say much."

_-"Hey, Brother, take this!"_

"He just smiled and gave me the Fire Medallion."

_-"This is a Medallion that contains the power of the fire spirits—and my friendship."_

"I see." Navi nodded. "Always the strong-silent type, that Darunia." She yawned. "I didn't think I'd waste so much energy worrying and flying to meet you. Mind if I hit the hay?"

"Sleep as long as you like Navi. I won't wake you. At least, I'll try not to."

The fairy smiled, curled up, and nodded off, still on Link's knee. The young warrior glanced over at Jaina. Her eye was closed, her whiskers lay loosely on either side of her snout, and a faint smile was across her face.

_She's having a good dream. She looks so peaceful; I wonder what she's dreaming about. Whatever it is, I hope it leaves her in a good mood when she wakes up._

…

**(Jaina's Dream)**

Jaina looked down at her hands. "Illidan…"

The demon slayer lowered his head to be eye-level with Jaina. "What is it?"

"Well, I'm… I'm leaving tomorrow… for Hyrule… This is my last night here in Kalimdor before I return home…"

"I know."

"So then, you-?"

Illidan rested his forehead against Jaina's, careful not to touch the gem. "Yes, I understand. We may never see each other again. Though we are to be worlds apart, know that I will always be… your friend… We fought and bled together on many battlefields. I will always carry the scar from the one who betrayed you." He ran a hand along the aforementioned scar crossing his abdomen. "But I will never forget how you saved my life that cold evening."

Jaina blinked the tears from her pale eyes. "I couldn't leave you to die. I care too much for you and your brethren. My people are the descendants of your Highborn kin. They carry a diluted form of your power in their blood. So a part of you has always been- and always shall be- with me. So, let me give you something of me. Take my necklace. It is a piece of my antler. We will never be as far apart as Azaroth and Outland so long as a piece of us rests with each other."

…

Link sighed and leaned back, his fingers interlocked behind his head. He looked silently up at the moon and stars. _I wonder what's next. I wonder… _"… I wonder where Zelda went…"

"_She's closer than you think."_

Link stiffened. He gently moved Navi to a soft patch of grass and stood up. He partially unsheathed the Master Sword and cautiously stepped away from Jaina's side, looking around intently for the source of the mysterious voice. "Who's there?" he demanded.

"_Time passes, people move… Like a river's flow, it never ends…" _A figure approached from the shadows. It was a young man in blue-and-white garb with a red eye-mark on the front of his tunic. In his arms was an ornate golden lyre. He calmly strummed a soothing tune on the instrument's strings."A childish mind will turn to noble ambition… Young love will become deep affection… The clear water's surface reflects growth…" He halted a few yards from Link and opened his piercing ruby eyes. "So, we meet at last… Link…" He placed his lyre in a pouch on his belt.

Link straightened slightly, blinking in confusion. "Wha-?"

"I have been waiting for you, Hero of Time… When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in a deep forest… One on a high mountain… One under a vast lake… One within the house of the dead… One inside a goddess of the sand… Together with the Hero of Time, the Awakened Ones will bind the evil and return the light of peace to the world…

"This is the legend of the temples passed down by my people, the Sheikah. I am Sheik. Survivor of the Sheikah… As I see you standing there holding the mythical Master Sword, you really do look like the legendary Hero of Time… If you believe the legend, you have no choice. You must look for the five temples and awaken the five Sages…" Sheik slowly approached Link. "You have already awakened the Forest Sage and Fire Sage… Now, one Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Water Temple. The Sage is a girl I am sure you know… If you believe what I'm saying, you should head to Zora's Domain… Do you understand, Link? Understand or not you will arrive at the Water Temple by noon." He moved quickly and blinded Link with the flash of a Deku Nut.

"_Take care, Link, for you are the last hope for Hyrule…"_

**So, yeah. This chapter's six whole pages. I'm just now on page seven. Yeah, I've altered a few things again… This has to be my longest fanfic chapter to date. Read and review. And, please, can someone besides Heywhat'sthisthingdo flame me? Kthxbai.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Dragon Goddess**

**I'm picking up where I left off in the last chapter. Observe: …**

Link rubbed his eyes. He blinked rapidly several times to readjust to the late-night darkness. He plopped down with a grunt and shook his head, thinking about Sheik's hint about the third Sage. "Who did he-?" Link stiffened with sudden realization. "It's Princess Ruto!" He jumped to his feet and dashed off in the direction of Zora's Domain, sword unsheathed and shield ready for combat. "I can't let Ganondorf's evil corrupt the peaceful Zora!" He kicked up a trail of dust as he ran across the dry ground. The trail was quickly blown away by a series of sudden wind gusts.

He ran for almost an hour before arriving at Lake Hylia. He skidded to a halt. Where the lake had been seven years ago was now a dry lakebed with a pathetic puddle in the center. "At least I can still take the shortcut." He carefully slid down the sandy lakebed until he reached an old drain opening. It was frozen through. "This won't do. Din's Fire!" The magic blast melted the ice all through the drain. Link crawled through the tight space and entered Zora's Domain. He looked around him. The entire cavern was frozen. Not a soul was in sight.

A chunk of ice crashed down behind Link. He leaped forward to avoid the falling glacier and landed on his hands and knees. A sudden wave of pain and nausea came over the warrior and his stomach lurched. Dark blood spilled out onto the ice, freezing almost instantly. _What's happening to me? My body feels like it's on fire! The pain is unbearable! I can barely move!_ Link vomited more and more blood. _I-I can't swallow!_ He brought his hands to his throat. Something snapped in his brain. He was overcome with pain and the intense urge to fight. His sapphire eyes took on a red hue. He flicked bloody froth from his lips as he struggled to control himself in his painful rage.

"LINK!"

Jaina pinned the crazed teen beneath her massive coils. Link struggled to get free and reached for his sword. He plunged the blade deep into Jaina's side. The dragon roared, shaking the stalactites and causing a few to fall, shattering with a loud crash on the frozen floor. Jaina looked desperately into Link's dull, bestial eyes.

"Link, breathe! It's me! It's Jaina! Please stop this madness, before you completely lose control of your mind and body!"

Link didn't seem to understand. Instead, he snarled and bit hard into Jaina's soft belly, drawing blood. The black liquid spurted from the wound. Jaina stiffened and recoiled, ripping the Master Sword from Link's grip. Jaina and Link both panted, worn out from the struggle. Jaina's one eye was wide and clearly wavered. Fear was evident in both combatants' faces. Link was afraid of the uncontrollable change coming over him; Jaina was afraid of the virus Link's bite had injected into her bloodstream. The dragon didn't bother to remove the sword piercing her like a long thorn. She instead began licking the bite wound in an attempt to destroy the virus in her blood.

Link glared at Jaina and dashed sideways before charging, landing another bite on the unprotected claw digits on Jaina's right wing. Jaina hissed and threw her head back, baring her massive teeth. She swung her head around and shoved Link away, sending him slamming into a fallen stalactite stuck in the ice. He gasped from the impact. He charged again and grabbed the hilt of the Master Sword, his momentum causing the blade to rend Jaina's flesh from the back of her left shoulder, across her belly, and down to her right hip. Jaina hissed again and lunged forward to escape the rip of the legendary blade.

Blood slicked the ice and Link and Jaina fought. The two clashed for several hours before Jaina began feeling the effects of the virus. Her muscles quivered and she found herself unable to swallow. _Dammit! I got too careless and didn't back off to lick my wounds!_ "RRRRAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!" Jaina reared up and brought herself down hard on the ice. The frozen water cracked and was split asunder.

Jaina extended her head until her neck was completely straight. Her tongue hung loosely between slightly parted jaws. _I can't let this go on much longer. If I do, the virus'll kill us both!_ "LINK!" She flapped her wings and stretched her right foreleg straight in front of her. She moved the limb in a semi-circle to the right. The movement summoned shards of enchanted ice crashing down in waves around Link, forming a transparent box around him. Jaina panted and went down on her left side. Her torn body finally gave out and the dragon collapsed. The froth on her lips scattered in front of her nose. The frozen ground was covered in a blanket of red ice.

_I have to end this right now…_ Jaina opened her jaws and whistled the Song of Time. A spiritual calm settled over the cavern. Link and Jaina's pain eased and their muscles relaxed. _I still need to fight off the neurological problems from the virus. So does Link. But for now we should be safe from dying. I should've healed his internal wounds from Volvagia's bite. He's strong. The time it took for his small body to be affected by the virus is about the average time it would take maybe for a creature as large as Alextrasza the Life-Binder to bleed out. A beast of my size only would take seven hours to feel the virus's effects. We fought for about that long after he bit me the second time…_

Jaina's tired mind finally succumbed to the darkness of the unconscious and she slipped into a deep slumber.

…

**(Jaina's memory)**

The young Archmage's sky eyes widened. She slowly looked down. A wave of nausea coursed through her when she saw it: the bandit lord's cruel spear impaled her through the very center of her chest. Jaina's gut flipped and she vomited. Her eyes wavered as her stomach emptied through her esophagus.

The bandits laughed at Jaina's pain. Their leader slowly approached the injured woman; his wicked eyes carefully examined Jaina's body. "Say, you're a pretty one."

Jaina gulped and hissed. "Your voice is sickening."

The leader slapped Jaina's face. "Listen here, girl! You do as I say and I won't hurt you any worse than I have to, you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you. So does my little friend."

Something rumbled in the shadows. A massive prismatic young dragon roared and pounced, ripping several bandits in two with one terrible clamp of her jaws. She hissed and put herself between Jaina and the bandits. "Are you okay?"

Jaina rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Yeah, just peachy. A spear in the chest is nothing. Wadaya think? I'm dying here!"

The dragon rumbled and snapped her jaws at the bandit lord. "You did this?"

"You bet, and I'm about to do the same to you, lizard!" The bandit tossed a second spear into the dragon's neck. The beast screamed and fell to the ground. The leader repeatedly stabbed the dragon about the face with a dagger. "Now die, monster!"

"N-No! Stop! Ah-AAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGHHHH!" The dragon thrashed a moment before falling silent, her face shredded almost beyond recognition.

Jaina's eyes widened as she watched her friend fall. Something snapped. She roared and swung her staff, hitting the bandit hard enough to rip off his head and send it rolling a few yards away. Jaina gasped for breath and kneeled by the dragon. She cradled the beast's head in her lap. "Oh, Eluna. You know you shouldn't let your guard down. You'll only get us both killed."

The dragon smiled. "Oh, but you know just how much I love my scars. I am a descendent of Deathwing, after all."

"Yes, and of Alextrasza, Malygos, Ysera, and Nozdormu. I know. Still, I do fear for you sometimes. I can't help it. Vunlasciro is my ancestor, after all."

"The legendary white dragon." Eluna closed her eyes and fell asleep.

…

Jaina tiredly blinked open her eye. She rolled onto her belly and raised her head. She pulled herself to Link's prison and pressed her nose against one of the walls. The ice vanished. Jaina reached out a forepaw and gently pulled the sleeping warrior toward her. She tenderly licked his hair. She picked him up and padded to the back of the cavern. She whimpered when she saw King Zora frozen in a casket of solid red ice.

"Oh, poor Lord of the Water Folk… Where has your daughter gone?" Jaina moved slowly past, dipping her head respectfully to the frozen king. She made her way to Jabu Jabu's lake. The mighty fish was gone. In his place was a long, flat iceberg. "Where's Jabu Jabu gone? Where's _everyone_ gone? The whole Domain is empty."

"_You won't find the Princess here."_

Jaina whipped her head around and saw Sheik approaching from behind. The dragon rumbled. "Who are you? And where is Princess Ruto? Answer me, Human!"

Sheik closed his eyes. "Temper, temper, great Goddess. I am called Sheik."

"So, you're a Sheikah, are you?"

"That I am. As for Lady Ruto's whereabouts…" Sheik lightly strummed his lyre in thought. "One under a vast lake… You must enter the Water Temple. That is where you will find Ruto. I wish you the best of luck…"

"You're not leaving yet! Not until I get a few more answers out of you!" Jaina reached for Sheik with her free paw and was about to grab him when she froze. A familiar scent briefly wafted past her nose. She quivered and withdrew. "Forgive me… I did not realize you were…"

"You need not say any more. Now I must take my leave. I will see you again, I hope…" Sheik threw a Deku seed and fled under the cover of the ensuing flash.

Jaina moved Link to her jaws and took hold of his tunic collar. She slid into the frigid water, keeping her head up perpendicular to the water's surface to keep Link from touching the cold liquid. The young man remained asleep as Jaina swam out to Lake Hylia. She crawled onto the shore and set Link down in a patch of soft grass. She stepped a distance away and shook herself, flicking off water droplets that glistened in the light of the rising sun.

-_"I wish you the best of luck…"_

Jaina shook herself once more and flapped her wings before settling in the grass and spreading her wings out to catch the warming rays of the sun. It wasn't until the sun was nearly at its peak that Jaina finally stirred. She stretched and yawned, lazily blinking open her eye. She turned her head slightly and saw that Link was also waking.

"How do you feel?"

"Huh?" Link tiredly looked over his shoulder at Jaina. "A bit sore," he yawned. "I don't know what came over me, but I didn't feel myself back there."

"You weren't _acting_ like yourself, Link. That's what happens with the rabies virus. It messes with your head. First you feel the pain and nausea. Then your throat tightens and you can't swallow. After that your mind goes into a wreck and you lash out at anything that draws near. Finally, either from dehydration or starvation… Death. You were in the third stage when you bit me. You were on the verge of death by exhaustion and blood loss from your wounds when I managed to restrain and heal you. I must say, you put up quite a struggle; I'm impressed."

Link stiffly got to his feet and wobbled before regaining his balance. "What do we do now? Where do we go from here?"

Jaina pointed toward what once had been the large island in the center of Lake Hylia. "At the base of the island is the entrance to the Water Temple, the sacred place where the Zora pay homage to the water spirits and the Water Goddess Wista. I can only take you to the entrance and give you this." She presented Link with a blue tunic. "This is a Zora Tunic. It will allow you to breathe under water. Also, I suggest wearing the iron boots you have so you don't float away in the Temple's powerful currents.

"I wish you luck, my friend. I cannot follow you into the Temple without the Guardian's permission. I am not as close to Wista as I am to Daruka. I may be able to join you later on, but it's not likely. I will take you to the Temple entrance now."

Link climbed onto Jaina's back and clung to her mane as she made her way through the remaining water to the Temple. He slid into the water when she halted.

"This is where I leave you. I will see if I can get Navi in to join you. Link… Good luck…"

Link dove beneath the water's surface and entered the Temple. Jaina watched him disappear beneath the island. She remained still for a long while, just staring at the spot where Link vanished into the Water Temple. With a loud sigh, she finally climbed up the side of the island and stretched her sopping wings. A faint shadow under the water caught her eye and she slid down a ways, hoping it was Link returning with Ruto.

Instead, a large blue-green fox-like creature surfaced and stared curiously at Jaina for several minutes, its gray eyes narrowed. "Jaina?"

"Wista." Jaina's voice was flat and emotionless **(Hint: Think how Zera greets Nala in Lion King Two)**. She hid any trace of emotion and feeling on her face as she stared back at the Water Goddess. The two remained silent for over a minute.

"What are you doing here?" Wista's voice was plain, with no variation in tone.

"Clinging to an island." **(Note: There's still no emotion; I just wanted Jaina to state something obvious.)**

"What are you doing here?" Wista asked again, her voice the same.

Jaina didn't answer right away. "Trying to stop a great evil." She slowly slid down closer to Wista until they were just a few feet apart.

"Who is it?"

"The man who killed our father!" Jaina snarled. She shoved her face right up in Wista's. "I need to get inside your Temple! The fate of the world depends on it!"

"Why should I trust you?" Wista's tone finally changed and she snarled back. "You haven't even _talked_ to me in centuries! How do I know you're not lying to me?"

Jaina was clearly taken aback by her sister's accusation. "W-Wista? What is wrong with you? Just look at your lake! Do you think _I_ would do this? I would _never_ drain your lake! I must enter the Temple! I beg of you! Please!"

Wista finally relented. "Very well. I grant you access. For now." She slid back into the water. "I just hope I can trust you, Little Sister…"

…

Jaina broke the surface with a gasp. The Shell Blade clamped into her tail was trying to drag her down with its weight. A second Shell Blade shot up and latched itself onto Jaina's hind paw. With the weight of the two bivalve monsters weighing her down, Jaina could no longer keep her head above water. She took one last gulp of air before the Shell Blades dragged her under. She turned her head around and curled into a ball. She snapped her jaws twice and propelled herself out of the water. In order to free herself she bit off half her tail and her left hind leg from the knee. She tiredly pulled herself onto a ledge and concentrated her energies to restore her body.

A splash broke her concentration and she looked up. A Stinger was headed right for her. Jaina pointed at the creature with her left forepaw. It froze in midair. Jaina returned to healing herself.

_Looks like I only have enough strength to grow back one or the other… I need my tail more than my leg for balance and swimming… My leg will just have to wait…_

She lashed her regrown tail and limped deeper into the temple. She knew she was on Link's trail from the bodies of slain monsters and the scent of blood in the water. The trail led her to the Temple's main chamber. She caught sight of Navi hovering in front of a closed door. Not too far from the fairy was Link. The two were talking to each other. Jaina slowly approached, using her tail to function as her missing leg.

"Navi! Link!"

The two turned when they heard Jaina. Navi looked happily in Jaina's direction. Link smiled a little. The entire right side of his face was streaked with blood. He was leaning on the Megaton Hammer to support himself. Blood drenched his clothes, indicating he had been cut somewhere on his back and sides.

"I'm glad you showed up just now," Link said with a slight chuckle. "I don't have the energy to- Wait… Jaina, what happened? How'd you lose your leg?"

Jaina smiled and shook her head. Link and Navi both understood this as "I don't have enough energy to heal you and explain right now; it'll come out later." Link didn't press.

"How did you find us?" Navi asked, hovering in front of Jaina.

The dragon silently touched her nose to the surface of the water, indicating she had tracked them by scent and sight through the Temple. She extended her head and softly blew on Link's face. The teen leaned against Jaina's snout.

"Thanks… for not leaving us alone in here…"

Jaina hummed quietly, the mystic tune healing Link's wounds and slightly restoring his strength. She closed her eye and lay down on the tiled floor.

**Okay, what I said about last chapter being my longest… I'm almost in the middle of the seventh page. **_**This**_** is my longest chapter so far. Next chapter, I'll do the fight between Link and Dark Link, but with another twist. No, it's got nothing to do with a Dark/Shadow Jaina or Navi. You've got to know the story of WarCraft Three: The Frozen Throne (product of Blizzard Entertainment) to understand the twist. Until next time!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Dragon Goddess**

'**Kay, so, yeah… Um… Well… Here's the twelfth chapter! Enjoy!**

Jaina stretched and reached over to Link. She prodded him until he woke. His stirring roused Navi from her slumber. The three stretched, yawned, and forced the sleep from their minds and bodies. Link took up the sword and shield and strapped the Megaton Hammer to his back.

"Well, shall we continue?" Link approached the closed door Navi was hovering by when Jaina found them. "I have a feeling there's something good on the other side of this door." He pulled up on the door until it opened. Inside, the room was filled with a dense fog. In the very center was a small, bare tree. On the other side was a closed wooden door. There was about three inches of water on the floor.

The trio slowly entered the room, cautiously glancing about in case there were enemies hiding around them. Link dashed across the room with Navi and Jaina close behind. The warrior jiggled the door. It was locked.

"Dead end…"

Jaina shuddered and pointed toward the tree. "Uh, Link? Look behind you."

Link slowly turned around. He froze when he saw what Jaina was pointing at. Leaning against the tree, arms crossed with a smirk, stood… Link. It was Link, only, this one's eyes were bright red and his hair and clothes were black.

Navi landed and shivered, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. "I don't like his presence… His aura is cold and wicked…"

Link slowly approached the apparition, readying himself to make a break for the entrance in case of trouble. Link drew closer and closer. When his foot touched dry land, the apparition suddenly grew aggressive and struck with a black sword. Link jumped back and dashed for the door. To his horror, metal bars locked his only means of escape. He whirled around and blocked his pursuer's sword with his own.

Navi sped toward Link. "Hey, listen! It's you, but a dark version of yourself! It's Dark Link! Conquer yourself!"

Link stabbed at his foe. The apparition dodged and jumped onto the blade, pinning it to the floor. He smirked and punched Link in the face before back flipping off the sword. Link wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. He spat blood from his mouth, tightened his grip on the Master Sword, and dashed. Dark Link blocked the upward swing with his sword and kicked. Link jumped back to dodge and spun. Again, the attack was blocked.

Dark Link swung his sword down. Link pushed back with his shield. Their swords met repeatedly. The two matched each other blow-for-blow. It was as though Link was fighting his reflection in a mirror. The two were evenly skilled. Their shouts and grunts echoed in the room. Dark Link had a lower, darker voice that mimicked Link's.

The stalemate continued for several minutes. Finally, Link managed to land a blow. Dark Link sunk down into the floor and reappeared behind Link and struck. Link blocked by swinging his sword over his shoulder behind his back. Dark Link jumped back as Link whipped around.

Jaina carefully observed the two. The echoed shouts and sword clashed sounded like a training routine between several pairs of soldiers. The sounds triggered something in the back of Jaina's mind. She gathered her power and boosted the presence of her aura. The sheer confidence bolstered Link's strength with its brilliance. Link's blows grew faster and more powerful. He dodged a blow and caught Dark Link's blade with one hand. The unexplainable effect of Jaina's increased aura on Link caught Dark Link off guard. He faltered and Link delivered a powerful blow with the Megaton Hammer. Dark Link vanished and reappeared behind Link. The teen jumped back and drove his elbow into Dark Link's chest. Navi cheered. Again, the apparition sunk and reappeared.

Link waited for the shadow to approach. He forced his left palm downward and expelled a massive blast of fiery magic. "Din's Fire!"

Dark Link once again disappeared and reappeared behind Link. He made a reckless dash, his sword aimed right for Link's spine. Link spun at the last second and sliced Dark Link's back. The shadow cried out and struck one last time. Link gasped and stumbled forward from Dark Link's dying blow.

The fog and tree slowly vanished. Navi looked around. They were just in a plain empty room with no special features. She flitted over to Link. The teen stood hunched over, his forehead pressed against the back of his hand resting on the base of his sword's hilt. His knees shook and he gasped for breath. Blood slowly dripped from his mouth. Dark Link's first punch had split his bottom lip and cut his cheek. The final blow had sliced his back wide open. Torn flesh hung loosely from the wound, exposing the muscle underneath.

"You did very well Link," Navi whispered. She placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "You were able to best yourself in battle and learn your strength and weaknesses."

"I think… I think I understand now…" Link coughed and looked at Jaina. "You… also benefitted from this… didn't you?"

Jaina tilted her head, clearly confused. "What do you mean? What did _I_ gain from your ordeal?"

Link chuckled. "Don't tell me… you don't know… I felt it… Your aura… gave me strength…"

"You're delirious Link. Let me heal your wounds before you exhaust yourself further." Jaina hummed the healing melody. Repairing Link's wounds quickly drained her already-depleted energy. Once again, she left herself little energy. She would have to continue on three legs. "There, all done. Don't stand up too fast, now. This is a delicate wound. Your muscles will be stiff for a while yet. I'll carry the Hammer for you. Climb on my back and I'll get us through the Temple." She helped Navi get Link on her back. "You just rest."

…

Link slowly turned the key in the lock. He gulped nervously. "Well… this is it, I guess." He fully turned the key and the unlocked chains withdrew. The trio cautiously entered the room. There was a deep square-shaped pit filled with water. Several square pillars with flat tops reached up and stopped just inches above the water. The door slammed shut. Jaina jumped straight up into the air, startled by the loud noise behind her. Link sighed and Navi sweat-dropped.

Unable to leave the room, Link jumped onto one of the platforms. Navi's senses were alerted to a powerful presence in the water. "Link! Look out! That isn't normal water over there!" She bolted and hovered near Link.

Something moved around the pillar Link stood on. Silently, a tentacle of water rose up behind Link and Navi. The sound of dripping water made Link turn around. He looked up, horrified, at the watery form. Something round and glowing moved up the tentacle.

Jaina growled. "That's the Giant Aquatic Amoeba! That's Morpha!"

The tentacle retracted and the glowing orb bounced around on the water's surface, as if taunting Link. Navi circled. "Hey! Morpha must be the Master of the Water Temple! It has absolute control of water. Pull out its nucleus and attack it!"

Link slowly moved toward the bouncing nucleus, sword ready to strike. The nucleus bounced up right in front of Link. He swung, missed, lost his balance, and fell into the water. The nucleus slammed painfully into Link's side, forcing him sideways. He grabbed onto the closest platform and pulled himself out of the water. Morpha shot a torpedo of water at Link, forcing him into the water again. He pulled himself back out of the water, right into the suffocating grip of a tentacle. The appendage wrapped itself around Link's throat. He dropped his sword and struggled to free himself. Morpha swung the helpless warrior around before sending him flying into a wall. Link struggled to his feet and cowered in a corner. Morpha seemed unable or unwilling to attack Link where he was huddled.

There was a loud splash as Jaina flung herself into the water. She grinned when Link saw her. She took a deep breath and submerged herself. A few seconds later a tentacle burst from the pool, fully constricting Jaina in its powerful coils. Jaina struggled for each breath as Morpha slowly squeezed the life out of her. The nucleus repeatedly slammed into Jaina. The dragon fought to free herself from the confines of the watery rope. She thrashed and flailed so much that the living water sliced through her armored hide and mingled with her blood.

Link's eyes widened at the sight of Jaina's blood. He steeled himself and aimed his new Longshot at the nucleus. "Get over here!" The hooked end of the chain pierced the nucleus and pulled it from the tentacle. Jaina spread her wings and pulled herself half-way out of the water, gasping. Link threw the nucleus into the corner he had been huddled in. "You can't escape me!" Link repeatedly slashed the nucleus. He jumped stabbed the sword straight down through the nucleus. "This is the end for you!" The nucleus quivered and burst. The water in the pool formed into one large tentacle and rose up to the ceiling, finally dropping down and spattering in all directions. Link pulled the sword from the floor and turned around.

"Well done!" Jaina tossed a Heart Container to Link. "There's a Sage that's been awakened. Let's go see who it is." _I know… It's Princess Ruto…_

Sure enough, the new Sage waiting for them was none other than Ruto. She sighed when she saw Link. "I suppose you realize the engagement's off…"

"That's kinda sad," Link replied. _I really think she'll make a great Sage. Still, I am going to miss her…_ "But you'll make a great Sage, Ruto."

The young Zora sighed when she saw Link's wounds and the Master Sword. She smiled at the determination in his eyes. "I can tell that nothing will stop you in your quest for justice and peace… You must take this Medallion… Take it respectfully!" She pressed the Water Medallion into Link's hand. "I now add my power to yours. I wish you luck as you continue on your mission to restore order to Hylia… Be brave, Link, for that is your greatest quality…"

…

Link protected his eyes from the gust of wind that followed the freed Bongo Bongo as it fled the well. Impa looked after it. "I must seal it again. I don't know how it broke free. How fitting it should be sealed in the Shadow Temple." She sped off toward the graveyard.

Link stared in the direction of the graveyard. A sound drew his attention. He turned and saw Jaina huddled whimpering under a fallen tree, hugging her tail and shaking. He crouched in front of Jaina and placed a comforting hand on her snout. "What's wrong?"

Jaina continued whimpering, her eye tightly shut. Navi answered Link instead. "Bongo Bongo. That's the name of the spirit trapped in the well. It is the embodiment of all that is foul. It's the stuff of nightmares. It was created from the negative energy that constantly increases within the Shadow Temple. That is where Impa must have chased it."

"We should go after her." Link turned to leave, but paused. "The Shadow Temple… Isn't that the House of the Dead? Jaina should be able to enter, right?"

"You're right! Jaina, come with us!"

Jaina stiffened. Her whimpering ceased and her eye was wide open. She was petrified with fear. There was no way Link or Navi could possibly move her if it involved the Shadow Temple. She unleashed a long, mournful wail, further proving that she would have nothing to do with Bongo Bongo or the Shadow Temple.

"No dice." Navi sighed. "I doubt Noxtar, the God of Darkness, can help us any better than Jaina can in this state. We'll just have to tough it out."

"Aw, man. That's definitely not what I wanted to hear." Link scratched the back of his head. "But, I guess we have no choice. We'll probably run into Impa along the way. Let's go Navi."

The two left Jaina cowering under the tree and headed toward the graveyard. Not a sound was heard for nearly three hours. Something caught Jaina's attention and snapped her out of her state of petrified suspension. It was a painful cry for help. Only Jaina appeared to hear it, for no other creature reacted. She heard it again.

_That sounded like…_ There was a second cry. _Navi!_ Jaina's head shot straight up, connecting with the tree. She recoiled in pain. "Oww…" She crawled out from under the tree. **(Note: She regrew her leg between Ruto and Kakariko.)** "I can't believe I'm doing this…" She bounded off toward the graveyard. She halted beside a large dark eagle. "Noxtar! What the Hell is happening in there?"

The Dark God shook his head, wide-eyed and frightened. The cries sounded again. Noxtar cringed. Jaina hissed. "Dammit!" She dove headfirst into a rift and landed heavily on the hard floor. The tiles were slick with blood.

A gruesome scene was laid out before her: Navi lay motionless against a wall; a disembodied hand had Link in its iron grip, as a large fleshy mass approached him. There was the sound of tearing flesh and crunching bones. Link cried out as blood spewed from his body. The white mass turned. Jaina was mortified. It was a horrid Dead Hand, its face and front soaked with Link's blood, its bare teeth chewing the teen's flesh. Link hung limp in the grip of the bodiless hand, his chest and belly ripped open. Something in Jaina's mind shattered. Rage overcame her and she bristled. Her eye burned furiously. "NO! YOU MONSTER!" She focused every last bit of magic and energy.

"In the world of the dead," she hissed, "the eyes of the living were easily deceived. Mirages disguised doors that could only be unlocked by keys found in invisible chests. The best partner for anyone foolish enough to venture into the Temple was the Lens of Truth, which revealed what the phantoms kept hidden."

She roared and expelled the power that had welled up inside her with a violent shockwave. The Dead Hand howled and crumbled. Its Infinite Hands were also destroyed by the force. Link remained lifeless on the floor. Severely weakened, Jaina tenderly nuzzled Link's cheek. He was barely alive, and fading fast. Jaina put the last ounce of her strength into the healing melody. She transported Link, Navi, and herself to the Temporal Realm. Drained, Jaina collapsed. Her sides heaved from the strain of her actions.

_I was reckless… I'm completely void of energy and magic… I was so stupid… But… I couldn't just let them… I couldn't leave my friends to die!… I can't even move… I need to be restored…_

…

Jaina pulled herself along the blood-slicked floor. Her belly scales were stained dark red. The relentless pull of Bongo Bongo's power drew her on, despite her complete lack of strength. Link and Navi were still recovering from their injuries in the Temporal Realm. Weakened and alone, Jaina was going to face Bongo Bongo.

_This is foolishness… I must've gone mad!... And I thought I was mad before!..._

_- "Unite with them? Are you mad?"_

_No, the old prophet was right… He wasn't mad… Even Thrall thought he was mad… Heh… And here I am facing my death… It's just behind this door… The Phantom Shadow Beast… Here I am doing this… even though I know there's… no way I can win… Not like this… I never thought… it would come down to this…_

She leaned on the door to rest. She heard the rhythmic beat of the phantom's massive drum. She listened silently. Her mind was taken back. She saw the rows of Orcs. She heard the thunderous bellows and footfalls of the massive Kodo beasts. She saw her own warriors preparing for battle. She heard the distant call of the Horn of Cenarius.

She pulled herself out of the flashback. She readied herself and picked the lock to enter Bongo Bongo's chamber. The room was empty. Drum beats echoed from a large hole in the center of the room. Jaina dragged her tired body to the hole and slid down the side. She landed on Bongo Bongo's drum. The phantom was beating rhythmically. It didn't seem to notice Jaina. There was no sign of Impa.

_No Impa… This worries me… I'll have to face it alone… All I ever wanted was to study…_

Bongo Bongo halted drumming. Jaina tensed, sensing she had been noticed. She scrambled to her paws and took to the air. Bongo Bongo swatted at her with its disembodied hands, its eye half-lidded. Jaina tiredly evaded the phantom's attacks in the air. Enraged, it returned to beating its drum. Jaina clung tightly to the side of the hole she slid down. Suddenly, the phantom began pounding on the drum, the sound waves shaking the ceiling. Jaina could feel her talons slipping. She desperately scrambled up the dirt wall. The shockwaves from the drum kept her sliding back down. Her grip faltered and she plummeted.

Bongo Bongo slammed Jaina into the drum with a hard downward thrust of its palm. The Goddess coughed up blood. Her lungs were bruised and several ribs were broken. She sent a desperate plea for help to Navi and Link.

_I'm in jeopardy, help me if you can!_

Bongo Bongo grabbed Jaina and tossed her into the air. She slammed into the ceiling and dropped back onto the drum. She could barely breathe. Her eyesight was fading. She heard Link's battle cry as he slashed at Bongo Bongo. Jaina peered deeply into his eyes. A single tear rolled down her cheek. "I did… my best…"

**Again, I used a number of online resources for this, mainly for Morpha and a few of Jaina's later quotes and thoughts. Yeah. Anyways, I'm gonna go to bed now. See y'all later, I guess.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Dragon Goddess**

**I'm picking up from where I left off. So, Jaina's still lying on the drum, and Link's attacking Bongo Bongo with Navi guiding him. Oh, and just to remind you, I don't have any rights to Legend of Zelda or WarCraft. I think LoZ belongs almost completely to Nintendo, while WarCraft is the creation of Blizzard Entertainment. Um, also, "Jaina" isn't her real name… I think I already explained that… Wow, this is long… I'm gonna make it even longer by doing this!**

Jaina's vision grew blurry. She could vaguely make out the shapes of Link and Bongo Bongo, and could identify the ever-present glow of Navi. The fairy had only just informed Link of Bongo Bongo's three weaknesses: his two hands and his one eye. Jaina watched and listened to the ensuing battle. She could tell when Link disabled the phantom's hands by the groan it made before attacking. She could see the glow of its eye with each charge.

At one point, Bongo Bongo took hold of Link and threw him into a wall. Jaina cringed, knowing she couldn't help her young charge. The fight moved around her; she couldn't tell which direction the sounds were coming from.

_I feel as… helpless… as I did… back then…_

_-"Good luck… gentlemen…"_

_I left Grom to die… and Thrall to be the one… to carry the burden… But I know… that foul Pit Lord Mannaroth… is dead… thanks to Hellscream's… noble sacrifice… Once Link slays Bongo Bongo… I won't have to worry… about my brother and our Temple…_

Jaina blinked. Bongo Bongo's glowing red eye was just inches away from her. Link was standing between the phantom and the Goddess, his sword stabbed right through the eye. Bongo Bongo howled and withdrew. It rose up, writhing in the final throes of death, before disintegrating into a pile of dark blue dust.

"Jaina," Link prompted, out of breath. "Jaina, Bongo Bongo is dead now. Look- another Sage has awakened. There's a portal- see?" He gestured at the glowing blue circle. "Can you get to the portal on your own?"

"_She will in a moment." _Noxtar silently descended into the chamber. He landed lightly beside his sister. "This was not a fight you should have attempted on your own. You know that." He flapped his broad wings. The dust he kicked up swirled around Jaina, restoring her energy. "There now. Get up and go. Meet our new Sage. I will remain here and clean up the mess. That's the least I can do."

Jaina slowly got to her paws, slipping a little from stiffness in her legs. She blinked at her brother. "Thank you Noxtar. Don't wear yourself down. Once all of this is over, I will help take care of all this. Come Link, Navi- come welcome the new Sage."

The trio (no, Noxtar stayed behind) passed through the portal to the Sages' Realm. Before them stood Impa, clutching a dark violet Medallion. She looked at Link. "The boy with the noble Zelda's Ocarina… As I expected, you have come. I am Impa, one of the Sheikah. I am Princess Zelda's caretaker, and I am also the Sage who guards the Shadow Temple. We Sheikah have served the royalty of Hyrule from generation to generation as attendants. However… On that day seven years ago, Ganondorf suddenly attacked… and Hyrule Castle surrendered after a short time. Ganondorf's target was one of the keys to the Sacred Realm… the hidden treasure of the Royal Family… the Ocarina of Time! My duty bound me to take Zelda out of Ganondorf's reach. When last I saw you, as we made our escape from the castle, you were just a lad…

"Now I see that you have become a fine hero… There's nothing to worry about… The Princess is safe now. Soon, you'll meet Princess Zelda face-to-face, and she will explain everything… That is when we, the six Wise Ones, will seal up the Evil King and return peace to Hyrule. I have to stay here… You go to Princess Zelda's side and protect her on my behalf. Now I put my power, which should be helpful to you, into this Medallion!"

The Sheikah woman tossed the Medallion to Link. The teen caught it and held it tightly, determination flaring in his eyes. As she vanished in a flash of light, she sent out a final request to Link. "Please look out for the Princess!"

Rauru appeared before Link, his wizened eyes clear and powerful. "Link, the hero! Finally, all of us, the six Sages, have been awakened! The time for the final showdown with the King of Evil has come! Before that, though, you should meet the one who is waiting for you… The one who is waiting for you at the Temple of Time…." The Sage raised his arms and vanished.

Link, Navi, and Jaina found themselves standing outside the Temple of Time. Jaina immediately padded into the worn-down building and looked around. "This is just pitiful. Look at this place! What have they done to my beautiful Temple?" She shook her head. "If this… Is this really my fate? Is this what I will see? No, only in _this_ future…" She closed her eye and whistled the Song of Time. The crumbling structure slowly repaired itself until the marble floor and walls gleamed as though they were made of stars. Jaina sighed, content. "Aah, that's better…"

Link stood motionless in front of the Pedestal of Time, Navi standing on his shoulder. Jaina looked over at the two. Her eye widened slightly. _Aah…_

Sheik stood atop the pedestal, looking down at Link and Navi. His fingers were held just above the stings of his lyre, as if he had been interrupted mid-chord. His red eyes were somewhat clouded. Not a word was spoken, until Jaina broke the silence with a loud, taunting comment.

"Ze-elda, you got some 'splainin' to do-o!" **(Note: This is an **_**I Love Lucy**_** reference: "Lucy, you got some 'splainin' to do!")**

Sheik looked down. "I guess so…"

**(Yeah, I'm skipping the whole transformation sequence thing here. Besides, it just takes away from -my- story anyway, so why put in a side-clip I can't work with? Just like the Spirit Temple. I decided I didn't want to have to deal with that… Jaina doesn't like Gerudo Valley. It reminds her of something/one…)**

"Take these Light Arrows," Zelda instructed urgently, pressing a number of the Arrows into Link's hands. "They're Ganondorf's only known weakness! You _must _keep them with you, at _all_ times! Do you understand?"

Before Link could respond, the whole interior of the Temple suddenly grew pitch-black. Jaina sprung straight up with a startled yelp. Her leap caused her to hit the back of her head on the threshold, scrambling her brain signals so she didn't realize Ganondorf kidnapped Zelda. **(Yeah, she does that sometimes… -.-' )** When she came to her senses Link and Navi were rushing out the door to rescue Zelda. Jaina scrambled after them, slipping on the freshly-waxed floor tiles. **(XD)** "Hey! Wait for me!"

She skidded to a halt (almost flattening Link in the process) when she saw an ominous tower looming where Hyrule Castle should have been. Her jaw dropped. "I could've sworn I left it right here! Hey, does anyone know where my castle went?"

Link and Navi both shook their heads and sweat-dropped. Link held out the six Medallions granted to him by the Sages. A glimmering bridge of energy connected the edge of the lava pit surrounding the tower to the structure's gate. Link and Navi rushed through the gate and into the tower. **(I'm gonna use a bit of the manga sequence and skip the barriers. What? I don't wanna!) **Jaina bounded after them, overtaking and stopping in front of them.

"Link, wait! Before we go on, there's something I have to tell you!"

Link crossed his arms impatiently. "Get on with it. We're in a bit of a rush here."

"Uh-huh, yeah, whatever. That's not-! Listen, I think it's only fair to tell you I've been lying about my identity. My name isn't Jaina. It's Anaria Jainase Getripulis Proudmoore. So you can call me Anaria from now on."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's how I'm going to protect you from now on!" Anaria roared. "Now, draw your sword! An enemy approaches!"

Sure enough, two angry Dinalfos leaped over Anaria's back and landed in front of Link. Anaria hissed and grabbed one of the reptilian beasts in her powerful jaws. She shook her head several times before chomping down hard, biting the monster clean in half. Meanwhile, Link was facing off against the other. A few strong blows, and the Dinalfos lay dead.

"You two go on ahead," Anaria ordered. "I'll meet you half-way to restore you. I've got something else that needs my attention _outside_ the tower." She slammed through the wall and took flight.

Link and Navi fought their way up the tower, facing off against Stalfos, Beamos, Iron Knuckles, and Wolfos- among other enemies- along the way. Anaria climbed her way up the outside of the tower, dispatching flying enemies that threatened her charge's ascent.

_This reminds me of… No! I can't lose my focus!_

At the half-way point, just as Anaria said, the trio regrouped. "You've gotten so much better at swordplay, my green-clad young battle-companion. Speaking of companions, I ran into this old fella outside." A large horned owl **(Hint: Think Kaepora.)** flew into the room and perched on Anaria's shoulder. The Goddess held herself proudly. "This is my owl. There are many like him, but _this_ one's _mine_." The owl hooted.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a monstrous, very pissed-off Moblin **(Anaria refers to them as "Ganonites," remember) **stomped into the room and pointed his spear at Link. It grunted and charged at the injured teen, roaring viciously. Link couldn't react.

Anaria grinned darkly and threw a hand out to the side. "Fly, Bubo!" The owl flapped his powerful wings and lifted himself into the air. He shot like a missile at the rampaging monster. In a heartbeat, the Moblin's headless trunk crashed to the floor just feet from Link. The owl (apparently dubbed "Bubo" by Anaria) dropped the beast's head at Anaria's paws and returned to her shoulder. He hooted three times.

Navi punched a palm in recognition of the owl. "Bubo!" The owl hooted in response. Navi laughed. "By the Goddesses, I haven't seen you in millennia!" Again, the owl simply hooted.

Link silently tried to comprehend, but exhaustion and blood loss kept his mind from focusing properly. He settled for a swig of water from one of the many bottles he had collected on his journey and leaned against the wall. "Hey," he called. "Are we gonna just stand here all day and catch up, or are we gonna take down Ganondorf?"

Bubo hooted. Link sweat-dropped. "Old coot…"

"I happen to be very fluent in your language, _Human_," Bubo grumbled indignantly.

Link pretended to ignore the comment and instead stared at the glowing Triforce on the back of his left hand. "Sure, reminiscing is nice, but don't we have a _job_ to do? Like, saving the world? Just putting an example out there for you."

Anaria sighed. "Way to kill the mood, Elfling…" She whistled the healing tune. "Bubo happens to be a very good friend of mine. It would be wise to show some _respect _every now and then, now, wouldn't it?" She sighed again. "But Link's right. Bubo, I have a favor to ask of you. If you're still loyal to the Alliance, I want you to take care of aerial enemies outside the tower. Think you can handle that?"

Bubo chirred. "I may be old, Archmage, but I'm not so decrepit I can't handle myself in combat. After all, I trained with the best." He took flight and soared outside.

Anaria stretched herself. "Let us be on our way."

…

"Z-Zelda…" Anaria was on the verge of tears. Zelda was trapped within a crystal prison. "Zelda… My granddaughter…" She snarled and glared at Ganondorf angrily. "Ganondorf, you BASTARD!" She lunged at the sorcerer. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR DOING THIS!"

Ganondorf smirked and fired a bolt of magic in Anaria's face. The dragon howled and recoiled. After watching the dragon writhe for a moment, Ganondorf spoke. "The Triforce parts are resonating… They are combining into one again… The two Triforce parts that I could not capture on that day seven years ago… I didn't expect they would be hidden within you two!" He laughed evilly. "And now, finally, all the Triforce parts have gathered here! These toys are too much for you! I command you to return them to me!" He glared at Link, presenting his own Triforce mark on his right hand. He blasted a vortex of dark energy at Link. The teen stood his ground. Navi was thrown back by the force.

"Link!" she cried. "Link! I can't help you! Because of the waves of darkness, I can't get close! I'm sorry, Link!"

Ganondorf laughed. "Since you won't hand it over like a good boy, I'll just have to take it from you by force!"

"OVER MY DEAD BODY!"

Anaria barreled into Ganondorf, temporarily disrupting his spell and allowing Link to land the first strike. Ganondorf roared and threw the dragon off of him. She slammed against the wall with a sickening crash. Ganondorf slammed his fist into the floor, breaking through the ceiling of the room below. He launched a bolt of magic at the stunned Goddess.

"I won't have that!" Link jumped in front of Anaria and took the blow. He cried out in pain but stood his ground.

"L-Link! What are you doing?"

"I won't let him hurt you any further. Let me take him on." He looked over his shoulder and winked. "Don't worry; I can handle myself. I've grown since then, remember?"

"Oh, Link…"

"Playing the hero again?" Ganondorf laughed. "Very well then. So be it. The Death Goddess will perish in the end anyway. Why deny her the opportunity to see all she holds dear crumble before her very eyes? Oops, I mean 'eye!' Hahahahaha!"

"Be quiet!" Link yelled.

A round of Dead Man's Volley began. The damage from the first bolt took effect after three exchanges. Ganondorf laughed. Link hissed from the pain. He held Ganondorf's attention and moved away from Anaria for another round. This time, Ganondorf faltered. Link took advantage of the blast and shot a Light Arrow at the sorcerer. He approached Ganondorf and slashed him several times with his sword before moving to a different spot on the crumbling floor. The sorcerer quickly got to his feet and instigated a third round. Again, Ganondorf faltered.

After another Light Arrow and some more slashing, Round Four began. Anaria had never seen such a long round of Dead Man's Volley. At least twelve exchanges were done before Ganondorf again fell victim to his own attack, a Light Arrow, and the Master Sword. The fifth round brought more pain on Link. The teen barely recovered in time to deflect another bolt. He was surprised when a volley of bolts surrounded him and burned his skin. He held out and fired another Light Arrow and slashed Ganondorf again. He didn't fall back when the sorcerer regained his footing, but rather stabbed him with a Light Arrow and proceeded to slash some more. This proved effective. Ganondorf slowly succumbed to his injuries.

"The Great Evil King Ganondorf… beaten by this kid?" The wicked sorcerer coughed up blood. The red liquid spattered the tiles and Link's clothes. "Link….!" He roared and used what remained of his power to weaken the tower's structural integrity. The building began to collapse. "If I am to be defeated… then I shall bury us all here….!"

"Link!" Zelda rushed to support the warrior before he collapsed. "Link, Ganondorf is trying to bring down the tower on our heads with his dying breath! We must hurry, before we end up buried as he intends!"

"Do you really think… that he is just going to up and die like that?" Anaria took hold of Zelda and Link. "No… I know him… _his_ type… He is a powerful sorcerer, well-versed in Dark Magic… Let us get out of here… Navi is waiting at the base of the tower for us…" She spread her wings and soared down, avoiding falling pieces of rubble as she descended. She landed heavily and dropped to her knees. "This is as far as I can get you… I suggest you run now… Flee… Quickly now, before he gets up!"

Zelda stood beside Link after the two retreated a ways. "It's over… it's finally over…"

Navi circled over Link's head. "Link… I'm sorry I couldn't help you in the battle before!"

Link smiled. "Let's get out of here."

There was a sound behind Anaria. "… Too late…"

Link instinctively put himself between Zelda and the ruined tower. He slowly approached the rubble, sword drawn for safety. When he was a few feet from the rubble, a ring of fire ignited from the ground and surrounded him. Navi flew to his side. Ganondorf burst from the rubble, his face twisted in rage. He gasped for each breath. The Triforce on his hand glowed. A strange light surrounded him, and he underwent a horrid transformation. He metamorphosed into a hideous monster with cloven hooves, a long tail, ferocious tusks and fangs, and giant curved horns. Two long double-bladed swords materialized in his clawed hands. He roared and slashed at Link. The loud sound of metal hitting metal reverberated. The Master Sword clattered to the ground at Zelda's feet. The ring of fire erupted into an intense barrier of flames. Link was now defenseless.

Navi remained determinedly at Link's side. "There's no way he's going to hold me back again! This time, we fight together!"

Ganon howled and slashed at Link. The teen rolled between the monster's feet and grabbed hold of his tail. Ganon howled and whipped around, a blade slicing a deep gash into Link's side. He released Ganon and quickly fired two Light Arrows into the monster's tail.

Anaria's ears perked. "Link! Let me help you! Think 'Wolfos!'"

"Thanks!" Link hollered back. He fired two more Light Arrows at the tail.

Ganon hissed and slammed the flat edge of his blade into Link's face. The teen barely kept himself from falling into the flames. He dashed between the monster's legs again and stabbed three more Light Arrows into Ganon's tail.

Ganon hissed and fell forward. The wall of flame grew weak. Zelda took hold of the Master Sword's hilt and held it out. "Link! The Master Sword is here! Hurry up!"

Link took the sword from Zelda. "The world is right again." The reunion was short-lived. The flames grew again, forcing Link back into the ring with Ganon. He rushed at the stunned monster and slashed his tail. **(You know, the more I think about it, the more Ganon sounds like a Saiyan at the full moon…)** Ganon roared and stood up, circling in an attempt to reach Link. "Not today!" Link slashed the tail again. Blood sprayed his hands and face. He paid it no heed.

Ganon managed to land a blow on Link. Zelda screamed. Link steadied himself and returned to stalking Ganon's ("ever-so-pounceable," as Anaria would later claim) tail. Ganon landed another blow, eliciting another horrified scream from Zelda. Link began to lose his patience with the monster. He fired a Light Arrow into Ganon's face. The beast recoiled with a hiss.

"I'm getting sick of seeing your ugly face, Ganon!" Link's sudden burst of attitude deeply touched Anaria. The teen rolled between Ganon's legs and slashed his tail again. He alternated between Light Arrows in Ganon's face and the Master Sword at his tail. A few arrows and slashes later, Ganon's energy ran out. He lurched forward and dropped to the ground, his already-grotesque face twisted further in horrible agony.

Zelda used her Sagely power to paralyze Ganon with an intense beam of light fired from the palms of her hands. "I'm using my power to hold the Evil King! Use your sword and deliver the final blow!"

"Not so fast," Anaria interrupted. "Link, don't slash wildly. Stab that bull-boar right in the face for me!"

"With pleasure." Link poised the Master Sword above Ganon's face. "Hey, a little surgery could only help your ugly mug!" He slashed a few times before finally stabbing Ganon right in the middle of his wretched face. Link withdrew. Ganon reared up and began swinging his swords madly, slicing only the air.

Zelda collected herself. "Six Sages… Now! Ancient Creators of Hyrule! Now, open the sealed door and send the Evil Incarnation of Darkness into the void of the Evil Realm!"

The power of the Sages opened a portal between dimensions that slowly dragged the thrashing monstrosity into another realm.

"YOU… CURSE YOU… ZELDA! CURSE YOU… SAGES! CURSE YOU… Link! Someday… When this seal is broken… That is when I will exterminate your descendants! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hand…"

"Thank you, Link…" Zelda said. "Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm! Thus, peace will once again reign in this world… for a time." She looked away, ashamed. "All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing… I was so young… I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to control the Sacred Realm. I dragged you into it, too. Now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes…" She looked back at Link. "You must lay the Master Sword to rest and close the Door of Time… However, by doing this, the road between times will be closed…" She held out her hand. "Link, give the Ocarina to me… As a Sage, I can return you to your original time with it."

Link slowly placed the Ocarina of Time in Zelda's outstretched hand. She placed her other hand over his. "When peace returns to Hyrule… It will be time for us to say good-bye…" She slowly drew away. "Now, go home, Link. Regain your lost time! Home… where you are supposed to be… the _way_ you are supposed to be…" She closed her eyes and played the Song of Time.

Link began to disappear, returning through time to before he met Zelda.

"Thank you… Link… Good-bye…"

**EPIC CREDITS!**

**(Then Link returns to his own time as a child again…)**

Jaina opened her eye and closed her mouth. "Welcome back, child. I'm glad you and Navi both made it back in… _time_…" She snickered quietly at the terrible pun. "You do realize where we are, right?"

"We're in the Temple of Time, aren't we?"

"Yes. And I suppose you realized how much bigger everything looks now. That's right, Link. Zelda sent you back seven years, back to reclaim the childhood you too soon had lost."

"And with that," Navi added, "I must take my leave… I suppose we'll meet again… Farewell, Link… My friend… I will never forget you!" The little fairy sadly flew out the window and disappeared into the sunlight.

Anaria nuzzled Link. "You will see each other again someday. Come. At this point, Ganondorf hasn't yet main an appearance. She does know about you. Let me take you to meet my granddaughter… My little Princess Zelda…"

**OMG IT'S THE END! Wow, over eight pages! Okay, you know what? Screw the last two, this is my longest chapter yet! (Of course, most of it was my bold typing anyways, but still!) Yeah, it's late… I'm gonna post this and go to bed… Good night everyone!**


End file.
